From its beginning in spring of 2009, the University of South Carolina's course in Film and Media History (then FILM 300, after fall 2016 FAMS 300) included a research exercise asking students to use a relatively small number of primary sources of…
A critical review of Columbia newspapers and city directory materials dated from 1904 to 1922 brings to light the development of stardom, especially among actresses. At the turn of twentieth century, there was only one theater in downtown Columbia…
As the "Note on Black Theaters” suggests, fire insurance maps can indeed illuminate the vastly different experiences of Black and white moviegoers in Columbia during the early 1900’s. “Colored” businesses such as theaters were indicated with…
Columbia experienced two separate histories of movie exhibition. This excerpt from the 1920 City Directory shows an example of how theaters were listed. Colored businesses including theaters were indicated with an asterisk. Other editions of the…