
Commandment Keeper Church, Beaufort South Carolina, May 1940
1940 · Movie · 42 min · ★ 6.5
This footage, shot by author Zora Neale Hurston in the Sea Island community of Beaufort, South Carolina, observes the religious practices of the Gullah people. The footage is accompanied here by field audio recordings by Norman Chalfin, who wrote of the endeavor, "There was no electric power . . . Illumination was from kerosene lamps." Because there was no electricity, they could not effectively synchronize sound and image. In 2006, the footage was selected for the National Film Registry of the Library of Congress.
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Details
- Years
- 1940
- Release date
- 1940-03-24
- Language
- English
- Runtime
- 42 min
- TMDB rating
- 6.5/10 (11 votes)
Themes
- woman director
Cast & crew

Zora Neale Hurston
as Herself
- RW
Reverend George Washington
as Himself
- IR
Izora Robinson
as Self
- HW
Hugh Washington
as Self
- MW
May Belle Washington
as Self
- CW
Carrie Belle Washington
as Self
- HW
Hattie Mae Washington
as Self
- JJ
Julia Jones
as Self
- HM
Henry Moore
as Self
- RS
Reuben Stephenson
as Self
Directed by Zora Neale Hurston