Archival Revival: Camera Original Conversations on Black Life

Today's program features the last part of an interview with Louise Leaphart James: an activist, journalist, writer, mother, aunt, and the sister of John Africa, the founder of the move organization. The interview was recorded in 2015. Ms. James died at the age of 90 in December of 2019. 

This is the first part of five in an series with Louise Leaphart James. 

Today's program features the last part of an interview with Dr. DuBois Williams Irvin, the grand-daughter of Dr. W.E.B DuBois. DuBois Irvin was largely raised by her grandfather W.E.B DuBois and her grandmother Nina Gomer DuBois in Harlem. Perhaps better than anyone, DuBois Williams Irvin provides a personal understanding of W.E.B DuBois and her memories of life with him. The interview was recorded in 1992 for the documentary film W.E.B Du Bois: A Biography in Four Voices.

Today's program features the first part of an interview with Dr. DuBois Williams Irvin, the grand-daughter of Dr. W.E.B DuBois. DuBois Irvin was largely raised by her grandfather W.E.B DuBois and her grandmother Nina Gomer DuBois in Harlem. Perhaps better than anyone, DuBois Williams Irvin provides a personal understanding of W.E.B DuBois and her memories of life with him. The interview was recorded in 1992 for the documentary film W.E.B Du Bois: A Biography in Four Voices. 

Today's program features the second and final part of an interview with Queen Mother Estelle James, a leading figure in Marcus Garvey's Universal Negro Improvement Association and African Communities' League. She later married the Honorable Charles L. James, who became the President General of the UNIA. Listen to Estelle James provide her memories of Marcus Garvey in the 1920s from her family's early involvement in the movement, and more. The interview was recorded in 1992 for the documentary film W.E.B Du Bois: A Biography in Four Voices. 

Today's program features the first part of an interview with Queen Mother Estelle James, a leading figure in Marcus Garvey's Universal Negro Improvement Association and African Communities' League. Listen to Estelle James provide her memories of Marcus Garvey in the 1920s from her family's early involvement in the movement, and more. The interview was recorded in 1992 for the documentary film W.E.B Du Bois: A Biography in Four Voices.

Today's program features a one-part interview with Dorothy Porter Wesley, perhaps one of the most important librarians and bibliophiles this country has produced. She was the chief librarian at Howard University, and helped to develop the Moorland-Spingarn Collection. The interview was recorded for the documentary film W.E.B Du Bois: A Biography in Four Voices.  The interview was recorded in July 1992, in Ms. Wesley's home in Washington, D.C. 

Today's program features the conclusion of an interview with the esteemed historian and activist, John Henrik Clark, recorded in June of 1992 in Harlem, New York. The interview was recorded for the documentary film W.E.B Du Bois: A Biography in Four Voices.  Dr. Clarke was one of the pioneers of Pan-African and Africana studies. In this episode, hear more about his cultural and political activism. 

This is our premiere broadcast of Archival Revival: Camera Original Conversations on Black Life. Today's program features the first part of an interview with the esteemed historian and activist, John Henrik Clark, recorded in June of 1992 in Harlem, New York. The interview was recorded for the documentary film W.E.B Du Bois: A Biography in Four Voices. 

Archival Revival is Scribe Video Center’s podcast and radio series, drawn from extended interviews, oral histories and presentations recorded over four decades. Many explore the rich history of the African-American life and political struggle including unedited interviews with historians John Henrik Clarke, Herbert Apetheker; renowned filmmakers John Akomfrah and Julie Dash; former Philadelphia mayor W. Wilson Goode; DuBois Williams Irvin, granddaughter of Dr. W.E.B. Du Bois; attorney Charisse Lillie; and Cecilia Hare Kelly, part of the first group of Black women to serve in World War II.

This media project emerged out of the pandemic of 2020 and the protests in opposition to the state sponsored killing of Black people. The decision to create the Archival Revival podcast, according to Louis Massiah, host and series producer, came from a desire “to make the most of the resources at hand in a period of social distancing. We came to the realization that our archive held valuable knowledge that we wanted to share. As documentarians, it is our responsibility to share the learnings and wisdom we’ve gathered in our long history.”

Archival Revival has thus become an extension of Scribe’s founding mission to use video and audio as a tool for progressive social change. Nationally known for its participatory, community-based approach to storytelling, the launch of Archival Revival marks Scribe Video Center’s first foray into the new media format. Facilitating oral history and audio production workshops every year, storytelling with audio has long been central to Scribe’s practice and teaching. Dallas Taylor is the line producer and editor of Archival Revival.