Juke Joint

Source catalog description

This description refers to material held by Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture. Visual details below describe the original material.

A 16mm release print of the feature film Juke Joint. It consists of two reels of positive, black-and-white, 16mm acetate film with variable-area optical sound. It opens as the protagonists Bad News Johnson (Spencer Williams) and July Jones (also known as “Cornbread Green” in the film) deboard an automobile in Dallas, Texas. Both men thank their driver and after the vehicle pulls away Johnson tells Jones, “Well, here we are. Mr. Jones, you are now in the great South West.” In response to one of Jones’ question about where they will be headed next, Johnson states “Mr. Jones, we are following the advice of Horace Greeley. Mr. Greely said, ‘go west young man, and do your best; then come east and spend your grease.’” Jones later reminds Johnson that they only have twenty-five cents with them.

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