Nashville Trip to Fisk University, Part 1

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Date: circa April 1971

Description: This film shows Fisk University and the surrounding neighborhood. People are viewing an outdoor exhibit, loading and unloading from a bus, walking outdoors, and gathering indoors.

Duration: 3 minutes, 23 seconds

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Highlights

(00:08)

(00:28)

(00:32)

(00:34)

(00:41)

(00:55)

(01:15)

(01:33)

(01:46)

Description of Shots

(00:00 - 00:06): Three people walk in a line formation outside along a paved walkway surrounded by grassy areas with a brick and stone building in the background. On both sides of the walkway are black hexagon shapes linked together as an exhibit with each shape containing text and/or images. As the people move forward, they appear focused on the exhibits, briefly scanning their surroundings before gradually directing their attention more toward the exhibit on the left side of the scene.
(00:06 - 00:17): The camera pans to the left, revealing a larger group of people gathered around the exhibit. The group is standing closely and directing their attention toward it. Most individuals appear to be observing the display, with their bodies oriented toward its center. The images on the exhibits are not visible in this scene.
(00:17 - 00:20): Two people stand at the center of the outdoor scene, with two other people passing on either side of them. The first two people are walking and then waiting to cross the street as a yellow car moves through the frame. After the car passes, the two begin to cross, and the camera fades to dark. Both individuals turn their heads to the left before stepping forward.
(00:20 - 00:25): No footage.
(00:25 - 00:30): The outdoor scene continues with two people walking past the sign that reads "FISK UNIVERSITY PARKING ONLY." Behind the sign are green bushes and a brick building. a long road extends out of the frame.
(00:30 - 00:34): Two people are seen attempting to cross the road. Trees, a sidewalk and parked cars line both sides of the street. A light blue four-door car turns in front of them. Suddenly, a light gray two-door car enters the frame making a left turn, approaching close to the two people as they cross.
(00:34 - 00:36): Four people are seen crossing the street. The two at the back are walking closely together, while the two in front check both sides of the street as they cross. Additionally, another person is visible further back in the scene walking on the sidewalk observing the people crossing the street. There are trees and a brick building in the background.
(00:36 - 00:41): Two people walk across the street and reach the middle of the road. At that point, both turn their heads to look in both directions and a light gray truck quickly passes by them before they meet a group of four people crossing the street in the other direction. Then they finishing crossing the street. There are trees, a brick building, and parked cars behind them.
(00:41 - 00:47): Five people are seen ascending the stairs to board a bus. Behind them, a larger group of people stands in a loosely formed cluster, waiting to get on. The formation is more rounded than linear.
(00:47 - 00:50): In the formation of the people outside the bus, one person holds up an object in their hand to show someone off-camera.
(00:50 - 00:56): The camera focuses on the front of the bus. Only hands are visible as they insert coins into the fare slot. As each person boards, their bodies briefly fill the frame, but faces remain out of view.
(00:56 - 01:00): People are seen exiting the bus. Two individuals appear in the lower right corner of the frame. The camera then pans to reveal the entire bus.
(01:00 - 01:02): The bus is grey with a green stripe and a sign reading "Jefferson" and one reading "Nashville Transport Co." As people exit through the back doors, the doors move slightly and some individuals push them open while stepping off. An individual wearing glasses notices the camera. Another person, not visible in the frame, raises a hand toward the camera.
(01:02 - 01:18): The camera focuses closely on an individual who smiles and gestures toward the group of people exiting the bus. Then focuses on people boarding the bus.
(01:18 - 01:20): A group of individuals are gathered outdoors near a paved street. Most are facing away from the camera, while one person is walking across the street and looking back toward the group and the camera. In the background, there is a grassy area bordered by a low stone wall.
(01:20 - 01:21): No footage.
(01:21 - 01:29): The shot shows a large, elevated walkway that is supported by angled metal beams and has dark rectangular panels along the sides. Concrete stairs with metal railings lead up to the walkway. A building with a tower is in the background, and trees and bushes are in the foreground. The camera uses a slow pan to follow the walkway from one end to the other, giving a clear view of its design. In the background, a multi-story building with a tower is partially visible. The foreground includes trees, grass, and trimmed bushes. The framing stays wide to keep the entire structure in view.
(01:29 - 01:33): A group of people are gathered indoors, seen through an open doorway. The camera captures them from behind and in profile as they stand in a hallway or room under fluorescent lighting. Most individuals appear engaged in conversation or waiting. The image is dark and low in detail, with silhouettes of individuals visible. The camera is positioned at a distance, framing the scene from outside the doorway.
(01:33 - 01:38): Several people are walking outdoors along a paved road. The camera is positioned behind the group, capturing their backs as they move toward a large brick building, some greenery, and a parked vehicle in the background. The lighting suggests daytime. The image is slightly blurry with motion.
(01:38 - 01:43): A group of people are walking outdoors near a grassy and uneven area with a building visible in the distance. The camera captures them in motion, with several individuals carrying bags and books.
(01:43 - 01:45): A person is captured on camera standing on a concrete staircase outdoors facing downward and is not looking at the camera. A bag is placed on one of the steps near them. The background includes a grassy area and metal railings along the stairs. The setting appears to be outdoors, with visible stairs, grass, and railings. The image is grainy and slightly blurred.
(01:45 - 01:48): A person is captured on camera walking on a paved road, holding an object under one arm and looking toward the camera. In the background, several individuals are walking away from the camera along the same road. The setting includes multi-story brick buildings, parked cars, a sidewalk, and street infrastructure such as light poles and curbs.
(01:48 - 01:57): Several individuals are visible inside a building, captured on camera near a doorway with windows. Some are standing while others appear to be seated or moving. The scene is dimly lit, with figures mostly shown in silhouette.
(01:57 - 02:05): A person is walking through a dimly lit indoor space, holding a stack of books. The person lifts the stack of books over their head, briefly loses balance, and then makes a broad hand gesture with one arm. Several other individuals are visible in the background, though not in clear detail.
(02:05 - 02:10): A person is walking through a dimly lit indoor space. The camera follows the person's movement as they walk through the space but does not focus closely on them. The panning motion reveals more of the surroundings, including multiple people and a room containing desks and chairs, though not clearly visible.
(02:10 - 02:17): A group of people standing in the middle of a hallway talking while one person holds a bag. The camera slowly pans to show all the individuals gathered there waiting. The camera then continues to pan and a girl is seen standing against a wall reading a book with a purse in her other hand.
(02:17 - 02:22): Two people are standing against a wall. The person on the right is reading a book. The person on the left is holding a book with both hands and looking down at the floor. Another person is partially visible on the far left side of the camera frame, mostly out of view.
(02:22 - 02:27): The camera pans back to the earlier group of people, and they are standing close to each other in a circle talking.
(02:27 - 02:44): The image is very dark. There are a few small lights visible—some red and white lights that seem to come from vehicles in the background. A dark shape, possibly a building or wall, takes up most of the left side. The sky is also dark, with a faint blue light near the top right. Some unclear shapes are in the lower part of the image, but they are hard to see.
(02:44 - 02:49): A school bus is centered in the frame and is facing away from the camera. Several red lights are visible—five along the top edge and two lower down. The rest of the bus is mostly in shadow, and the background is very dark. A few small lights can be seen in the distance.
(02:49 - 02:54): The image shows a daytime outdoor scene taken from an elevated angle. A person is in a grassy yard, holding the handle of a lawn mower. Trees with green leaves are in the background, and there are shadows cast on the ground. The image is slightly overexposed, making some areas appear very bright.
(02:54 - 03:01): A person stands on a driveway next to a wheelbarrow in front of a large stone building. The building has several windows with awnings and a garage door on the left side. The front lawn is neatly maintained, with a few shrubs and a tree partially visible in the foreground. clothesline pole is visible near the center-right of the frame. The camera is positioned at a high angle, capturing the scene from above.
(03:01 - 03:05): A backyard and surrounding neighborhood are seen from an elevated viewpoint. A flowering tree is centered in the lawn, with a picnic table and a wooden garden bed structure nearby. A clothesline stretches across the yard, attached to metal poles. In the foreground, part of a car is parked next to a fence with vertical wooden posts. A metal trash can and a small circular object are positioned along the fence line. A residential street and several brick houses trimmed hedges and driveways leading up to them are visible in the background. The camera captures the scene at a high angle, overlooking a yard enclosed by a wire fence.
(03:05 - 03:11): Several cars are parked in a driveway next to a wooden fence. The camera captures the scene from an elevated position, looking slightly down across a residential street. A small house with a front porch and stairs is visible in the background, partially shaded by trees. A raised garden bed and a small tree appear to the left side of the frame. Across the street, a narrow sidewalk leads up to a small house with a slanted roof and front steps. The street is bordered by a grassy area and lined with trees casting shadows on the ground. A brick wall of a nearby building is visible along the right edge of the frame.
(03:11 - 03:23): No footage.