Guide to the Frank and Diane Davison Home Movie Collection
Sean Heyliger
African American Museum & Library at Oakland
659 14th Street
Oakland, California 94612
Phone: (510) 637-0198
Fax: (510) 637-0204
Email: aamlo@oaklandlibrary.org
URL: http://www.oaklandlibrary.org/locations/african-american-museum-library-oakland
© 2013
African American Museum and Library at Oakland. All rights reserved.
Guide to the Frank and Diane Davison Home Movie Collection
Collection number: MS 175
African American Museum & Library at Oakland
Oakland, California
- Processed by:
- Sean Heyliger
- Date Completed:
- 12/04/2014
- Encoded by:
- Sean Heyliger
© 2013 African American Museum & Library at Oakland. All rights reserved.
Descriptive Summary
Title: Frank and Diane Davison Home Movie collection
Dates: circa 1950s-1967
Collection number: MS 175
Creator:
Davison, Frank, Jr.
Creator:
Davison, Diane.
Collection Size:
.5 linear feet
(1 box)
Repository:
African American Museum & Library at Oakland (Oakland, Calif.)
Abstract: The Frank and Diane Davison Home Movie Collection consists of 23 color and b&w, 8mm home movies documenting the family life
of the Davison family during the 1960s. The home movies include 63 minutes of footage of the family camping, skiing, at the
beach, dancing “The Twist”, and celebrating Halloween, Christmas, New Year’s Eve, and birthdays of friends and family members.
The majority of the footage appears to take place in Alaska and Pacific Northwest with footage of family trips to Atlantic
City, New Jersey, Oakland, California, and Panama.
Languages:
Languages represented in the collection:
English
Access
Original film reels restricted. Digital files are open to the public.
Access Restrictions
Materials are for use in-library only, non-circulating.
Publication Rights
Permission to publish from the Frank and Diane Davison Home Movie Collection must be obtained from the African American Museum
& Library at Oakland.
Preferred Citation
Frank and Diane Davison Home Movie collection, MS 175, African American Museum & Library at Oakland, Oakland Public Library.
Oakland, California.
Acquisition Information
The Frank and Diane Davison Home Movie Collection was donated by Steve Polta to the African American Museum & Library at Oakland
in 2012.
Processing Information
Processed by Sean Heyliger December 4, 2014.
Scope and Content of Collection
The Frank and Diane Davison Home Movie Collection consists of 23 color and b&w, 8mm home movies documenting the family life
of the Davison family during the 1960s. The home movies include 63 minutes of footage of the family camping, skiing, at the
beach, dancing “The Twist”, and celebrating Halloween, Christmas, New Year’s Eve, and birthdays of friends and family members.
The majority of the footage appears to take place in Alaska and Pacific Northwest with footage of family trips to Atlantic
City, New Jersey, Oakland, California, and Panama.
Arrangement
Series I. Home movies
Indexing Terms
The following terms have been used to index the description of this collection in
the library's online public access catalog.
African American families.
African Americans--Alaska.
Twist (Dance).
Fort Sherman (Panama).
Amateur films.
Home movies
Physical Description: 23 reels + 46 digital files
Series Scope and Content Summary
Includes twenty three 8mm b&w and color films recorded by the Davison family.
Box 1
“Frank and Craig in Alaska” [MS175_A8L01]
circa 1950s
Physical Description: b&w, 8mm
Physical Description: Run time: 2 (min): 50 (s)
Material Specific Details: Boys and girls eating at table [0:01]
Two men and woman serving plates of food at buffet table [0:26]
Children sledding in front yard [0:52]
Man carving turkey at dinner table, woman and children seated at table [1:32]
Man and woman cleaning up at kitchen sink [1:44]
Missile shooting across sky [1:48]
Boy in Western outfit playing saxophone next to Christmas tree [2:04]
Box 1
Untitled [MS175_A8L02]
circa 1950s
Physical Description: b&w, 8mm
Physical Description: Run time: 2 (min): 54 (s)
Material Specific Details: Two boys riding bicycles with training wheels and tricycle on sidewalk [0:04]
Boy sitting on couch, woman opens curtains, woman pulls pot out of oven, boy wearing New York Yankees t-shirt walks through
living room, woman straightening up living room [1:03]
Woman and boy on stairs, boy sitting on bed, two boys sitting on bathroom tub, bedroom [2:02]
Boys and woman cooking and eating in kitchen [2:19]
Box 1
Untitled [MS175_A8L03]
circa 1950s
Physical Description: b&w, 8mm
Physical Description: Run time: 3 (min): 03 (s)
Material Specific Details: Children sitting on couch and man sitting in chair in living room, children running around and dancing in living room [0:01]
Two women walk into kitchen from backdoor, man sitting in chair in living with children dancing [0:27]
Two women in kitchen preparing meal [1:28]
Children standing on sidewalk and playing in front yard [1:38]
Box 1
“Thanksgiving ’60, sleigh ride Frank & Craig, launching of missile” [MS175_A8P04]
1960
Physical Description: b&w, 8mm
Physical Description: Run time: 3 (min): 05 (s)
Material Specific Details: Three boys riding bicycles with training wheels and tricycle on sidewalk [0:01]
Chevrolet Bel Air parking, woman carrying dry cleaning bag [0:29]
Two boys in front yard walking toward camera [0:40]
Man moving watering hose in front yard [01:03]
Clouds above apartment building [01:14]
Two boys riding bicycle with training wheels and tricycle on sidewalk [01:17]
Children playing in front yard [2:28]
Box 1
“Halloween, Frank’s birthday, kids in snow & Craig” [MS175_A8L05]
circa 1960s
Physical Description: b&w, 8mm
Physical Description: Run time: 2 (min): 50 (s)
Material Specific Details: Children in costumes sitting at dinner table, one trying to cut cake, children holding balloons outside in the dark, children
holding balloons in living room [0:06]
Man shoveling snow off sidewalk [1:14]
Box 1
“Modeling ceramics” [MS175_A8L06]
circa 1960s
Physical Description: color, 8mm
Physical Description: Run time: 2 (min): 58 (s)
Material Specific Details: Woman and two boys wearing formal attire in living room, woman modeling dresses in living room, ceramics vase and figurines
in living room [0:01]
Box 1
“Visiting on Christmas 1. Lights outside our house 2. The Jackson family (Air-Force) 3. The Heady’s House 4. Sleeping Craig
back at our house 5. Gilliams and baby also Lassie” [MS175_A8L07]
circa 1960s
Physical Description: color, 8mm
Physical Description: Run time: 3 (min): 08 (s)
Material Specific Details: Blue and red Christmas lights on exterior of house, Merry Christmas sign in window [00:01]
Two boys standing in snow-covered front yard at night [0:22]
Children playing with toys in living room next to Christmas tree [0:25]
Christmas tree in living room, two boys and baby sitting on couch and lying on floor, man in military uniform with Gilliam
nametag in kitchen [2:12]
Box 1
“1. Craig and Frank working out in basement X-Mas (60) 2. Part-time New Year’s Eve heads are bad Buddy doing footwork 4. Dress
that I made” [MS175_A8L08]
circa 1960s
Physical Description: color, 8mm
Physical Description: Run time: 3 (min): 05 (s)
Material Specific Details: Two boys dancing and playing saxophone and drum [0:01]
Couples dancing and kissing in living room, woman modeling dress in living room [2:07]
Box 1
“Christmas at our house” [MS175_A8L09]
1960-12-26
Physical Description: color, 8mm
Physical Description: Run time: 3 (min): 10 (s)
Material Specific Details: Boys dressed in Western outfits playing with drum and cap gun on Christmas morning [0:01]
Woman preparing rolls in kitchen [1:00]
Boy in Western outfit playing with cap gun in living room [1:42]
Man drinking in living room, boys in Western outfits playing, toys under Christmas tree, children eating at dinner table [2:42]
Box 1
“Craig’s birthday party four years old, Frank & Buddy playing ball Alaska” [MS175_A8L10]
1961-06-03
Physical Description: color, 8mm
Physical Description: Run time: 2 (min): 49 (s)
Material Specific Details: Two boys and woman in foreground, Madden Dam Panama in the background [0:01]
Driving on road through tropical forest, huts and farms on roadside [0:20]
Woman and girl walking toward camera and get into parked car, Fort Sherman, Panama NCO Open Mess building in background [0:54]
Children playing at the beach [1:14]
Woman sitting on the beach drinking beer [2:05]
Meat cooking on grill, group of men and women sitting under thatched table [2:14]
Parade marching past building, clown car pulling a wheelie, teenagers dancing in living room [2:30]
Box 1
“Alaska all didn’t come out” [MS175_A8L11]
1961-07
Physical Description: color, 8mm
Physical Description: Run time: 1 (min): 40 (s)
Material Specific Details: Woman holding child, group of men, women and children at campground, children cooking hot dogs over fire, men cooking ribs
over campfire [0:08]
Box 1
“Christmas ’61 in Alaska Frank & Craig doing the twist” [MS175_A8L12]
1961-12-26
Physical Description: color, 8mm
Physical Description: Run time: 2 (min): 41 (s)
Material Specific Details: Christmas tree in living room surrounded by presents [0:01]
Two boys putting on football helmets [0:40]
Woman sitting on couch [1:04]
Man and woman dancing in living room [1:22]
Two boys dancing “The Twist” in living room [2:23]
Box 1
“Frank’s birthday Oct. 29 ’61 Christmas ‘61” [MS175_A8L13]
1961
Physical Description: color, 8mm
Physical Description: Run time: 2 (min): 41 (s)
Material Specific Details: Children in living room at birthday party [0:01]
Boy opening birthday Scattergun toy, Finance board game, and Astra 900 model car [1:04]
Woman and two boys decorating Christmas tree [2:06]
Box 1
Easter ’61 in Alaska, Arm Forces Day, Frank playing baseball summer ‘62” [MS175_A8L14]
1962-1962
Physical Description: color, 8mm
Physical Description: Run time: 2 (min): 49 (s)
Material Specific Details: Two boys in tuxedos standing in front of apartment building [0:01]
Six military planes performing maneuvers [0:38]
Military airplanes taking off from runway as crowd watches at air show [0:41]
Formation of nine military jets flying by crowd [1:13]
Group of men and women at campground in woods, cars parked at Otter Lake [1:55]
Box 1
“Vicki’s 1st birthday” [MS175_A8L15]
1963-05-11
Physical Description: color, 8mm
Physical Description: Run time: 2 (min): 47 (s)
Material Specific Details: Two boys holding up toddler as she attempts to walk in living room [0:01]
Toddler crawling on living room floor, playing with oversized clothes pin [0:50]
Woman holding toddler’s arm as she walks in living room [1:22]
Boys singing happy birthday sitting at dining room table, baby girl blowing out candle and eating birthday cake [1:57]
Box 1
Untitled [MS175_A8L16]
1963-05-15
Physical Description: color, 8mm
Physical Description: Run time: 2 (min): 43 (s)
Material Specific Details: Two boys riding bicycles in front yard [0:01]
Woman putting baby on tricycle [0:28]
Snow on ground, panorama of apartment buildings [1:01]
Children playing in the snow [1:17]
Woman holding baby in front of apartment building as children play in the snow [1:56]
Box 1
“Kids on beach, Trip across country from Alaska” [MS175_A8L17]
1963-06
Physical Description: color, 8mm
Physical Description: Run time: 2 (min): 40 (s)
Material Specific Details: View from passenger’s seat as car drives on highway, forest on roadside [0:01]
View from passenger’s seat as car drives on highway along shoreline [0:20]
Driving over the Yaquina Bay Bridge [?][1:29]
Children playing at the beach in Atlantic City, New Jersey, boy in front yard [2:00]
Box 1
Untitled [MS175_A8L18]
1963-09-24
Physical Description: color, 8mm
Physical Description: Run time: 2 (min): 42 (s)
Material Specific Details: Men and women drinking and dancing at party, boys drawing with crayons sitting in front of television in living room [0:01]
Box 1
“Xmas 1966” [MS175_A8L19]
1966-12-25
Physical Description: color, 8mm
Physical Description: Run time: 3 (min): 05 (s)
Material Specific Details: Man drinking beer [0:20]
Panorama of cabins with mountains in the distance [0:42]
Mountain stream [1:33]
Group of men and women sitting in living room next to Christmas tree, two women and man unloading car at beach [2:21]
Box 1
Untitled [MS175_A8L20]
circa 1960s
Physical Description: color, 8mm
Physical Description: Run time: 2 (min): 38 (s)
Material Specific Details: Car driving on highway, mountains and glacier in the distance, moose with calf crossing road [0:01]
Box 1
“Vicki (baby)” [MS175_A8L21]
circa 1960s
Physical Description: color, 8mm
Physical Description: Run time: 2 (min): 51 (s)
Material Specific Details: Woman sitting on couch in living room holding baby [0:01]
Man sitting on couch in living room holding baby [0:25]
Woman sitting on couch in living room feeding baby [0:40]
Man sitting in chair in living room holding baby, two boys sitting on floor [1:05]
Baby lying in crib [1:39]
Man holding baby, baby sitting in stroller, woman washing baby in washbasin, two boys holding up fish in kitchen, baby sitting
on couch [2:05]
Box 1
“Frank on skis” [MS175_A8L22]
circa 1960s
Physical Description: color, 8mm
Physical Description: Run time: 2 (min): 49 (s)
Material Specific Details: Boys playing in the snow, children sledding [0:01]
Children and woman having a snowball fight [0:20]
Children building a snowman [0:45]
Children throwing snowballs [0:50]
Children tearing down snowman [1:25]
Person cross country skiing [2:06]
Cars in parking lot covered with snow, person trying to cross country ski on one ski, kids playing in the snow [2:21]
Box 1
“Oakland Bar-B-Q, Yo-Yos” [MS175_A8L23]
circa 1960s
Physical Description: color, 8mm
Physical Description: Run time: 1 (min): 11 (s)
Material Specific Details: Cookout in backyard [0:01]
Boys playing with yo-yos [1:09]
