Jarret Family Home Movies (1958-67)

The Jarret family’s films were shot between 1958 and 1967 by David H. Jarret, a firefighter from Pittsburgh’s historic African American Hill District, and span nearly three hours. As you watch family members and neighbors’ lives, from weddings to living room dance parties, a storyline emerges. Following Jarret’s death, years of neglect caused chemical decomposition of the image, resulting in a kaleidoscopic effect that evokes experimental filmmaking techniques. The Museum’s preservation of the film resulted in its return to the Jarret family descendants; it appears here with their approval.