U-Matic

Aug. 1983 African World Festival

U-Matic S tape containing footage shot at the first African World Festival at Hart Plaza in August of 1983. The footage features musicians, food, vendors, and attendees.

The tape begins with footage of a large rock band--possibly (AZ) Is--performing in Hart Plaza's amphitheater. The camera also captures several shots of the audience.

Several shots follow of barbecued chicken and ribs cooking on a grill. The grill is attended by two cooks who appear in some shots. The band from the previous scene is still audible in the background.

After a very brief shot of a vendor at a table in Hart Plaza's underground area, the camera then moves to the underground food court for several shots of its stalls. Many of the food court vendors wear kente cloth or hand dyed dashiki or dresses with kofia or head scarves. One vendor hands a customer a flyer for the event.

The camera then returns to the amphitheater for more shots of the rock band and the crowd.

The focus returns to the vendors for the final section of the tape. Jewelry, clothing, pins featuring the Pan-African flag, masks, and the former Ethiopian flag with the Lion of Judah emblem are among the items shown. A woman behind the camera can be heard asking one women to show off her wares for the camera. The vendor explains that some items are made by Michigan craftspeople, and some are imported. The tape ends after shots of two paintings--the first is a man seated atop the shoulders of another man, and the second is a woman wearing a scarf on her head.

The video is on a 3M MBU-18 U-Matic S tape with a handwritten 3M label on its top. The tape is housed within a black plastic latching case with a City of Detroit Department of Public Information Video Production label on its cover.