The March, documentary film by James Blue

Historical source

On August 10th, 1963 The U.S. Government, under the auspices of the United States Information Agency (USIA), tasked Hearst Metrotone News with crafting a documentary covering The March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom. To undertake the direction of this momentous film, Hearst and the USIA enlisted James Blue.

A quarter of a million people took part in the March on Washington.

A television audience of millions watched Martin Luther King Jr. deliver his “I Have a Dream” speech.

James Blue captured it on film. The March was shot in 35mm black and white film by a crew of 14 sound and camera men in 7 pairs, most of them from Hearst News.

Blue was brought onto the project after the camera crews were hired. George Stevens Jr, the head of USIA films, said "I asked Jim Blue to become involved. No one at Hearst could craft the kind of film we wanted."

Over three days they shot 59,795 feet of film - more than 11 hours of material. It was edited by Blue down to 3,021 feet, for a running time of 33 minutes.

The budget was $50,000. In addition to directing and editing, it was narrated by Blue, including released prints in Spanish and French.

The March was made for the Motion Picture Service unit of the United States Information Agency, a government entity that made informational, some would say propaganda, films.

At the time, by law, USIA films were only seen outside of the United States. In 1990 the law was changed to allow USIA films to be shown domestically 12 years after they had been made.

The March won first place in the short features section of the fifth (1965) International Film Festival For Youth at Cannes.

The March was screened at Venice, Tours, Bilbao and Cannes film festivals. It won grand prizes at Bilbao and Cannes.

The Cannes Jury credited the film for its “concentrated rhythm which permitted clear interpretation of the way a powerful peaceful force was used to uphold a general desire for universal justice.”

At Bilbao it won first prize for “Contributing Most to Friendliness and Understanding Between Peoples.”

It was added to the National Film Registry in 2008. After being added to the National Film Registry, The March was restored by the Motion Picture Preservation Lab, which is responsible for performing preservation work on motion pictures held by the National Archives.

Audrey Amidon was leader on the preservation of the film. Restoration work was completed in 2013.

Name

The March, documentary film by James Blue

Description

The March is a 1964 award-winning documentary by filmmaker James Blue about the 1963 civil rights March on Washington. James Blue filmed participants as they prepared for the March in their home cities, followed them as they traveled to Washington, and recorded their reactions as they listened for the first time to Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.’s iconic speech “I Have A Dream” on the steps of the Lincoln Memorial.

Types

Historical source

Author

James Blue

Claims from

On August 28th, 1963, two hundred thousand Americans came to Washington to demand complete freedom for everyone.

African Americans were insulted, beated, jailed, drenched with water, chased by dogs, but they were coming to Washington to swallow up hatred in love, to overcome violence by peaceful protest

There were many who praised this day and said that there had been a new awakening in the conscience of the nation. Others called it a national disgrace. In the wake of this day, more violence was to come, more hatred; but in the long history of man's cruelty to man, this was a day of hope.

Marchers came from Los Angeles and San Francisco or about the distance from Moscow to Bombay. They came from Cleveland, Chicago, or about the distance from Buenos Aires to Rio de janeiro. They came from Jackson, Mississippi, from birmingham, Alabama, or about the distance from Johannesburg to Dar Es Salaam.

The pins said, "I march for jobs and freedom" Everyone who marched wore one. The two hundred thousand people who were to march that day were held together by the strength of that pin.

By the end of August 1963, in some places of the United States, an African American could not go to school where he chose, eat where he wished, build his home where it pleased him, or find jobs for which he was qualified.

Historic events