Southern U.S. Reel, 1930s

This 1930s home movie roams the Southern U.S., capturing lush foliage, swampy Everglades, and grand houses with gardens. In faded Kodachrome or black-and-white, it shows three African American kids dancing for the camera, a baby watching, and a wobbly kitten on cement. Black workers trim vines and build walls, while a 1930s car backs down a dirt road. A waterside picnic setup and gravestones—George W. Chandler’s family and a Redding-Byron pair—add a poignant touch to this pre-WWII slice of life.