Lincoln Motion Picture Company

The Lincoln Motion Picture Company was an American film production company founded in 1915 in Omaha, Nebraska and incorporated in 1916 in Los Angeles, California. Among the first organized black filmmakers, it became the first producer of so-called "race movies". The stated purpose of the film company was to make films to "encourage black pride" while upholding the social order of the period. The goals of many of the early black film companies were to correct the distortions portrayed in white films while accurately depicting black reality and fostering a positive black image. Lincoln Motion Picture Company, although confined to three shorts and two feature-length films, produced mostly family-oriented pictures.

History

The Lincoln Motion Picture Company was founded in Omaha, Nebraska in the summer of 1915. [ [http://www.aaregistry.com/african_american_history/1830/The_Lincoln_Motion_Picture_company_a_first_for_Black_cinema "The Lincoln Motion Picture company, a first for Black cinema!"] The African American Registry. Retrieved 8/4/07.] That year George and Noble Johnson founded the business to produce films for African American audiences. Noble was a small-time actor, and George worked for the post office. In 1915, Noble Johnson was president of the company; Clarence A. Brooks, secretary; Dr. James T. Smith, treasurer, and; Dudley A. Brooks was assistant secretary. Lincoln Films quickly built a reputation for making films that showcased African American talent in the full sphere of cinema, and in less than a year the company relocated to Los Angeles. [(2007) [http://www.blackpast.org/?q=timelines/african-american-history-american-west-timeline African American History in the American West: Timeline.] University of Washington.]

On 20 January, 1917, the state of California issued an incorporation certificate of the Lincoln Motion Picture Company for a capitalization of $75,000. [Sampson, Henry T. "Blacks in Black and White: A Source Book on Black Films" (1997), page 27] At the time of incorporation the officers of the company at that time were Noble M. Johnson, president, Dr. James Thomas Smith, who was the vice-president and treasuer, Clarence A. Brooks, secretary, Dudley A. Brooks, assistant secretary, and Willes O. Tyler, attorney. The only white member of the organization was Harry Gant, cameraman, who was a personal friend of Noble Johnson and had worked with him at Universal Pictures. Noble Johnson kept his job at Universal and operated Lincoln on the side. In 1918, George P. Johnson, Noble's brother, became general booking manager handling all correspondence and newspaper advertising. [Flamming, Douglas. "Bound for Freedom: Black Los Angeles in Jim Crow America", University of California Press, page 89 (2005) - ISBN 0520239199]

Films

"The Realization of a Negro's Ambition"

Lincoln's first two-reel feature film release was "The Realization of a Negro's Ambition" (1916), Drama; following is the storyline:

:"James Burton, is a Tuskegee graduate who leaves his father's farm and his girlfriend. Burton's departure allows him to seek his fortune out West on the California oil fields. When he arrives in California, Burton is denied an oil drilling job because he is black. The denial of an opportunity to work for the oil company becomes his major conflict. Nevertheless, Burton surmounts this obstacle by saving the life of a wealthy, white oilman's daughter and is rewarded with a job from her father. Later, the owner discovers that Burton has a degree in civil engineering and makes Burton the head of an oil expedition. Through a series of discoveries, Burton realizes that the geological features of his father's farm resemble those of the California oil fields. He returns home, becomes wealthy through his discovery of oil, and weds his hometown sweetheart." [Reid, Mark A. "Redefining Black Film", page 9]

The actor who played Burton was the already popular Noble M. Johnson. The supporting cast included Beulah Hall, Lottie Boles, Clarence Books, Gertrude Chrisman, Bessie Mathews, and George W. Reed.

"Trooper of Company K"

The great success of the first film resulted in constantly increasing demand for another Lincoln film, and preparations were begun for a larger and better second production. At the time, 1916, the public's attention was focused upon the "Carrizal Incident" which occurred during the Mexican Expedition. The incident involved a battle in which Troops K and C of the "famous fighting 10th" United States all-black cavalry were nearly wiped out. In order to take advantage of the built-in publicity factor, Lincoln decided that its next release would be based on that famous battle. [Sampson, Henry T. "Blacks in Black and White: A Source Book on Black Films" (1997), page 30]

The "Trooper of Company K" (1917), a Western Adventure, was the second Lincoln release. For the production of this film, Lincoln was able to hire a number of ex-cavalry troopers of the 9th and 10th Cavalry. From the firms in Hollywood, who made it a business to supply the big film companies, Lincoln was able to rent guns, uniforms, and cannons. Over 300 extras were used in the production. Noble Johnson (Joe), Beulah Hall (Clara), and Jimmy Smith (Jimmie) starred in the film. Following is the storyline:

:"Shiftless" Joe spends his last cent for flowers to give to Clara, a high school girl of a good family who, because of a kind, humane act of Joe's, has taken a sisterly and charitable interest in him, and at every opportunity upbraids him for his shiftlessness and advises him on ways to better his condition. Jimmy, an ardent admirer and friend of Clara, is afforded good clothes and spending money by his mother's untiring efforts over the washtub, and is quite a favorite among his sporty class of friends. Jimmy is not pleased with Clara's unselfish, broadminded interest in Joe. Although he tolerates it, he ignores Joe. Clara induces Joe to secure a job, but his deep love and sympathy for animals causes him to be late to work. He finds the foreman very angry when he arrives and, being unfamiliar with this line of work and anxious to make good, Joe becomes excited and makes a botch of the whole affair, to the humiliation of the foreman and the other workmen. Joe, after being kicked off the job, seeks Clara to tell her of his ill luck. Clara is at home with Jimmy when Joe arrives and tells of his experience. Clara is a little disappointed with Joe, while Jimmy is thoroughly disgusted. Clara gets an idea from seeing her little brother playing soldier in the yard that the Army, with its regularity, discipline and training, would be a good thing for Joe. Joe, being assured that he would get plenty to eat in the Army, straightaway enlists, which is not at all displeasing to Jimmy.

:Several months later, Joe is seen doing duty with Company K of the Tenth Cavalry near Casas Grandes, Mexico, while Jimmy at home is finding it not so very clear sailing with Clara. Although Joe is still a little crude and shiftless, he has won the heart of his Captain by his constant good nature and love and care of his horse. Through workings of the Army, Company K and Company C are drawn into a fight with Mexican troops at Carrizal. Joe distinguishes himself by heroic deeds during the fight, rescuing his wounded Captain and making good their escape. Clara, reading in the papers of Joe's deeds and experiences, denounces Jimmy for his false accusations. Joe is decorated for bravery and recommended for promotion. He arrives home on leave and is welcomed by Clara with open arms." [Sampson, Henry T. "Blacks in Black and White: A Source Book on Black Films" (1997), page 92-93]

"Trooper of Company K" opened its first engagement at the all black theatre, the "New Angelus", in Los Angeles in 1917, with a week's run to a near capacity house. It played to capacity houses from Chicago to Oakland. In New Orleans it broke all records and was even shown to mixed audiences at the "New Ivy" and "People's Theatres", two white theatres which had never before shown a film produced by and featuring blacks. [Sampson, Henry T. "Blacks in Black and White: A Source Book on Black Films" (1997), page 31]

Competition

In the mid-1910s, several members of the black community had established their own film studios, but the increased cost of movie making in the 1920's and the subsequent Depression forced most autonomous black film producers out of business. The African American community simply did not have the resources, especially in hard times, to sustain independent black film enterprises. ["California Eagle", Los Angeles, California newspaper, March 19, 1937]

Closure

In 1923, the company announced that its next production would be "The Heart of a Negro", and that it would feature Clarence Brooks, Edna Morton, and Lawrence Chenault. A few weeks after this announcement, Lincoln Motion Picture Company discontinued operations. [Sampson, Henry T. "Blacks in Black and White: A Source Book on Black Films", page 39] George P. Johnson completed 37 years as a postal employee and compiled an extensive collection of information pertaining to blacks in the movie business, now in the UCLA Research Library. Noble M. Johnson (1881–1978), continued his acting career in over 140 movies from 1915–1950. [ [http://us.imdb.com/name/nm0425903/ Noble M. Johnson Filmography] ]

Filmography

*"The Realization of a Negro's Ambition" (1916)
*"Trooper of Company K" (1917)
*"The Law of Nature" (1917)
*"By Right of Birth" (1921) [Sampson, Henry T. "Blacks in Black and White: A Source Book on Black Films", page 39]

ee also

* African Americans in Omaha, Nebraska

External links

* [http://us.imdb.com/company/co0026361/ Filmography of Lincoln Motion Picture Company]
* [http://www.indiana.edu/~bfca/features/racemovies.html Feature Presentation: Race Movies]

Footnotes

References

*Berry, S. Torriano. "The 50 Most Influential Black Films: A Celebration of African-American Talent, Determination", Citadel Press, (2001) - ISBN 0806521333

*Bowser, Pearl. "Oscar Micheaux and His Circle: African-American Filmmaking and Race Cinema of the Silent Era", Indiana University Press, (2001) - ISBN 0253339944

*Jones, George William. "Black Cinema Treasures: Lost and Found", University of North Texas Press, (1991) - ISBN 0929398262

*Reid, Mark A. "Redefining Black Film", University of California Press, (1993) - ISBN 0520079027

*Sampson, Henry T. "Blacks in Black and White: A Source Book on Black Films", The Scarecrow Press, Inc., New Jersery, (1997) - ISBN 0810810239

*Stewart, Jacqueline. "Migrating to the Movies: Cinema and Black Urban Modernity", University of California Press, (2005) - ISBN 0520233492