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Collection Number: 20290

Collection Title: Opelika Pictures Records 1843-1961, 1986-1997; bulk 1986-1997

This collection has access restrictions. For details, please see the restrictions.

This is a finding aid. It is a description of archival material held in the Wilson Library at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Unless otherwise noted, the materials described below are physically available in our reading room, and not digitally available through the World Wide Web. See the Duplication Policy section for more information.


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Size 29.0 feet of linear shelf space (approximately 1,200 items)
Abstract Opelika Pictures is a film company founded by New York-based filmmaker Macky Alston (Wallace McPherson Alston III). Alston directed the documentary film, Family Name, which examines the links between himself and the descendants of former slaves in North Carolina who share the Alston name. The collection is composed of research and genealogy notes, audio and video tapes, film, record albums, publications, photographs, business and personal correspondence, and clippings associated with the making of Family Name. Included are photographs of the work of artist Charles Henry Alston and interviews with his sisters and others who knew him. There are also photographs and taped interviews with Macky Alston and members of his family.
Creator Opelika Pictures.
Curatorial Unit Southern Folklife Collection
Language English.
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expand/collapse Expand/collapse Information For Users

Restrictions to Access
Use of audiovisual materials may require production of listening or viewing copies. Use of some boxes may require staff assistance.
Copyright Notice
Copyright is retained by the authors of items in these papers, or their descendants, as stipulated by United States copyright law.
Preferred Citation
[Identification of item], in the Opelika Pictures Records #20290, Southern Folklife Collection, The Wilson Library, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.
Provenance
Received from Opelika Pictures of New York, N.Y., in April 1998 (Acc. 98094), October 1998 (Acc. 98203), and August 2002 (Acc. 99300).
Sensitive Materials Statement
Manuscript collections and archival records may contain materials with sensitive or confidential information that is protected under federal or state right to privacy laws and regulations, the North Carolina Public Records Act (N.C.G.S. § 132 1 et seq.), and Article 7 of the North Carolina State Personnel Act (Privacy of State Employee Personnel Records, N.C.G.S. § 126-22 et seq.). Researchers are advised that the disclosure of certain information pertaining to identifiable living individuals represented in this collection without the consent of those individuals may have legal ramifications (e.g., a cause of action under common law for invasion of privacy may arise if facts concerning an individual's private life are published that would be deemed highly offensive to a reasonable person) for which the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill assumes no responsibility.
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expand/collapse Expand/collapse Processing Information

Processed by: Teresa Church, 1998

Encoded by: Teresa Church

Diacritics and other special characters have been omitted from this finding aid to facilitate keyword searching in web browsers.

Updated: May 2019

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expand/collapse Expand/collapse Subject Headings

The following terms from Library of Congress Subject Headings suggest topics, persons, geography, etc. interspersed through the entire collection; the terms do not usually represent discrete and easily identifiable portions of the collection--such as folders or items.

Clicking on a subject heading below will take you into the University Library's online catalog.

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expand/collapse Expand/collapse Historical Information

Opelika Pictures is a film company founded by New York-based filmmaker Macky Alston (Wallace McPherson Alston III). Alston directed the documentary film, Family Name, which examines the links that early North Carolina history forged between himself and the descendants of former slaves who share the Alston family name.

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expand/collapse Expand/collapse Scope and Content

The collection is composed of research and genealogy notes, audio and video tapes, film, record albums, publications, photographs, business and personal correspondence, and clippings associated with the making of the documentary film, Family Name. Included are numerous photographs of the work of artist Charles Henry Alston and interviews with his sisters and others who knew him. There are also photographs and taped interviews with Macky Alston and members of his family. The bulk of materials are dated 1986 to 1997, but there is a small number of items dated 1843-1961.

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Contents list

expand/collapse Expand/collapse Series Quick Links

expand/collapse Expand/collapse Series 1. Papers and Photographs.

Note that original file folder titles have, in most cases, been retained.

Box 1

Book Proposal--computer diskette and "Contents of Spinky box"

Miscellaneous papers of Charles Alston, notes (legal pad) concerning Alston family members, genealogy notes (handwritten), and textual materials on Joseph John Alston.

Book Publishers--correspondence , book publishers catalogs, and clippings

Book Receipts--receipt from Park Slope Copy Center, Brooklyn, N.Y.

Book--table of contents, introduction, miscellaneous chapters

Book (Macky's)--table of contents (book and film)

Book Proposal--photocopies, note to Nick Gottlieb and Nancy Alston, notes about origins/conception of Family Name

Film Script Draft--"Plantations: My People Owned Your People"

Selections for Chapter 1--notes and photographs

Psalm & Hymns --publication, copyright 1843

Delany Sisters--photocopies of newspaper clippings about Sadie and Bessie Delany, natives of Raleigh, N.C.

The Ellingtons (Duke)--newspaper clipping announcing engagement of Duke Ellington's granddaughter, Mercedes Ellington

The Alexanders (Clifford and Adele)--newspaper clippings about Clifford Alexander, spouse of the former Adele Logan

Langston Hughes--magazine article (short biographical sketch)

Box 2

Family Name Script--final drafts

Sharon Portnoy Design-- architecture and interior design packet

Kay's Stuff--handwritten notes, script materials

Script-- Family Name

Box 3

Notes and Script Materials

Box 4

Guest Book--Fred Alston concert

Framed photographs of Alston family members

Alston House, DeKalb County, Ga.--article and clippings about Alston family's house

Alston-Paschal-King Project--historical documentation project including members of the Martin Luther King family

Ancestral Records--Alston family

Correspondence and General Research Notes--southern historical and film project research

Research Notes--notes on film project

"Alston Family History & Genealogy Page"--printed copies of web page information

Box 5

Photograph File, Books 1-3--photocopies of photographs and images (3-ring binder)

Box 6

WMA (Wallace McPherson Alston) #1-3 (3-ring binder)

Box 7

Research Bible--research notes for making Family Name (3-ring binder)

Images Ordered--photocopies of photographs (3-ring binder)

New Stills, Binders #1-2--photocopies of photographs (3-ring binder)

Box 8

Charles's Art--photographs and photocopies of Charles Alston's artwork (3-ring binder)

CHA #1-2--life and career of Charles Alston

Box 9

Shoot 800 Select Binder, film shoot materials (3-ring binder, black)

Shoot 800 Select Binder, film shoot materials (3-ring binder, red)

Shoot 900 Select Binder, film shoot materials (3-ring binder, blue)

Shoot 1000, 1100, 1200, film shoot materials (3-ring binder, burgundy)

Miscellaneous photocopies, images, and card catalog records (3-ring binder)

Box 10

Publications

Journal of Convention of the Episcopal Diocese of North Carolina; St. Bartholomew's Parish, Pittsboro, North Carolina 1833-1983; A Visit to the Country; Official Souvenir Guide & Picture Book; Graphics; The Architectural Heritage of Chatham County, North Carolina; The People Could Fly; Chatham County 1771-1971

Image Folder PF-20290/1

Photographs, circa 1930s-1970s

Acquisitions Information: Accession 99300 (Addition of August 2002)

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expand/collapse Expand/collapse Series 2. Open Reel Audio Tapes.

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expand/collapse Expand/collapse Series 3. Video Tapes 3/4-inch.

Audiovisual Box 1

Family Name--tape 1 Reels 1 and 2, 6 December 1996

Family Name--tape 2 Reels 3 and 4, 6 December 1996

Family Name--dub from beta master CR 1 and 2

Family Name--narration reel 1A, 22 November 1996

Family Name--narration reel 1B, 22 November 1996

Family Name--narration reel 2A, 22 November 1996

Family Name--narration reel 2B, 22 November 1996

Family Name--narration reel 3A, 22 November 1996

Family Name--narration reel 3B, 22 November 1996

Family Name (VHS, not 3/4-inch)

Audiovisual Box 2

Family Name--narration reel 4A, 22 November 1996

Family Name--narration reel 4B, 22 November 1996

Family Name--music cues (temporary), 21 October 1996

Family Name--transfer to 16mm, VID SELS 2

Family Name--CR # 1-2, ADDRESS TRACK/VITC/WTC/FF

Family Name--CR # 1-2, ADDRESS TRACK/VITC

Family Name--CR # 3-4, ADDRESS TRACK/VITC

Family Name--split track, 19 May 1998

Family Name--trailer titles

Family Name - 55295, 30 August 1995

Family Name--tape 001, audio only

Family Name--master, old trailer and new, 31 May 1995

Audiovisual Box 3

Family Name--project demo--sub master, 11 September 1995

Family Name--Act I, Act II (partial), 8 April 1996

Family Name--CR # 3 and 4

Family Name--print

Family Name--dub from beta master CR 3 and 4

Family Name--print, address track

Family Name--viewing master

Family Name--CR 3-4, address track/VITC/WTC/FF

Family Name--film-to-tape transfer, 1st corrected print

Family Name--CR 1 and 2, with scratch mix

Family Name--video selects 1, 12 June 1996

Family Name--hour 2, address track, 55296, 30 August 1995

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expand/collapse Expand/collapse Series 4. Audio Cassettes.

Audiovisual Box 4

Black Composers--Country Band a.k.a. Life's Other Side (2 copies)

Poem--Concert for Healing--Miscellaneous-Black Composer Series (2 copies), 21 August 1996

Alabama Black Reunion, Black Reunion/Delores's Church (2 copies), 21 August 1996

Family Name--Hamlet Chapel Church--live in North Carolina, 12 January 1997

Macky Alston and Memaw

Vanessa Alston--His Eyes on the Sparrow

Gylbert/Aida and Rousmaniere

"Circle" revised demo, "Seek" demo, 30 October 1996

Primus Address--selected excerpts--reading Will Badgett, 28 May 1996

Family Name,--Opelika Pix, tape 3 music

Sound Track--7 August time codes movie, 12 August 1996

"Will the Circle be Unbroken," 26 November 1996

Miscellaneous Missing Cues, Alabama Black Reunion

The Lab, Inc.--demo, 1995

Midgette, Alice Alston, John Trotter

Damien, Big Picture, lunch with Maria and Selina

Macky's Rumination

Macky's Ruminations, 1 July

Screening, 20 April, and Narration, 13 August

Family Name--Fran session

Macky and Fran, 11 January 1994

Lunch with Maria and Selina 20 March 1994

Alston Grove Congregational Church (by Brett Alston), 23 February 1975

Found a New Baby/Careless Love, Johnny Alston and His Orchestra

Alston Grove Church--live in North Carolina, 12 January 1997

"Circle," "Seek"

Family Name--song mixes, 2 May 1996

Family Name--Charlotte--"Hmmms"

"Circle," 4 December 1996

"Circle" revised demo, "Seek" demo--Joseph Joubert, 30 October 1996

"Seek" copy, "Circle"--temp mix

Audiovisual Box 5

Cued up--"While My Lady Sleeps,""Equinox"

Jose White--David Baker

Black Composers (1 and 2)

Screening--(tape 2), 20 April

Music Cues--1st draft, Family Name, 4 October 1996

Family Name--mixed cues, 24 November 1996

Ungar and Mason-- musical ideas

Family Name--Opelika Pix--music (tape 1)

"Circle Be Unbroken"--rough demo, Joubert

Joseph Joubert--various arrangements

Professor Charles Taylor and the Taylor Singers, the message

Family Name--Opelika Pix--Music (tape 2)

Alston, Charles/E. Rolick--Archives of American Art (1 of 1), 19 January 1970

Alston, Charles/Murray--Archives of American Art (1 of 2), 19 October 1968

Alston, Charles/Murray--Archives of American Art (2 of 2), 19 October 1968

Alston, Charles/Phillips--Archives of American Art (1 of 1), 28 September 1965

"The Racoon Story"--Charlotte Blake Alston with John Blake, Jr.

Alborado del Gracioso--and other selections

Family Name--song mixes, 29 May 1996

Soundtrack--sample/temp

Reel #3B, 4 HH

7B: Rousmaniere and Aida

5A: Rousmaniere/Aida

Life's Other Side, May the Circle Be Unbroken

Life's Other Side

Family Name

Temp Music #2--Matt Barton

Concert at Cherry Hill

Concert at Cherry Hill

Soundboard Tape

Charles Alston Interviews--Murray, Rolick, Archives of American Art (1 of 2)

Charles Alston Interviews--Murray, Rolick, Archives of American Art (2of 2)

Rousmaniere, Aida, Gilbert (Gylbert)

Rousmaniere Alston, Aida Winters/G. Coker, M. Schwatz

"Seek"--1st master

Audiovisual Box 6

Family Name--music selects, 29 August 1996

Temp Music

Temp Music (#2)--jazz

Sermons--Wallace M. Alston, Sr.--Union, Richmond, 1961

Wallace M. Alston, Jr.--sermons, 1978 and 1986

Sermons--Wallace M. Alston, Jr., from Union, Richmond, Library

8A: Delores/WT

Reel #3A HH

Family Name--Diggs, Cemetery, Vanessa (tape #1)

Family Name--(tape #2) Maria Young

Family Name--(tape #6)

Anthony/Booker T.

Charlotte, Jeff, Wallace

Charlotte Performing

Gylbert, Aida, Rousmaniere

Charles Alston Interview, Wild Tracks 58, 59

Charles Alston Interview, Wild Tracks 60, 61

Charles Alston Interview, Wild Tracks 61, 62

Charles Alston Interview, Wild Tracks 63, 64

Opelika Pictures--musical cues and stings

4A: Family Name--Alice Alston/Barbara

Charles Alston Interview/Phillips, Archives of American Art (1 of 1)

Music--sample/notes

Charlotte Blake Alston--"A Sampling of Stories and Songs"

Demo Tape

Music Samples--temp music, Wallace Alston Band recording session

Charles Alston Interview

Charles Alston, Harry Henderson, Wild Tracks 79

Charles Alston, tape1-2

Jocelyn's Tape

"Life's Other Side" and other selections (side A 12 selections; side B 6 selections)

Family Name--final mixes

Family Name--church choir recordings

Demo Tape--(side A 12 selections, side B 10 selections)

Charlotte Blake Alston--"A Sampling of Stories and Songs"

Gospel--Charlotte Alston/Fred Alston

Audiovisual Box 7

Family Name--song mixes, 29 May 1996

Alabama/Black Reunion/Delores's Church

Opelika Pictures, "Family Thing"

Opelika Thematic Ideas, 22 August 1996

Delores's Speech/Sermon/Delores's Church

Family Name 362727

Family Name--Fred at Sprig's

Family Name

Family Name--music cues

Family Name--Jeff interview continued

Family Name

Family Name--piano tuning and rehearsal

Family Name

Family Name--Delores's church

Harpo Productions-- Family Name

Family Name--Fred at Sprig's

Family Name

Family Name--Concert for Healing, Fred interview/Jeff interview

Family Name

Family Name--themes, 6 September 1996

Facing History--input for short versions

Family Name--soundtrack demos (4 CDs)

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expand/collapse Expand/collapse Series 5. Video Tapes VHS

Audiovisual Box 8

Family Name--copy not for broadcast

Old Trailer and New Trailer

Gylbert Coker Interview (2 of 2 ), 30 October 1993

National Archives--Allison's trip on October--MLK

Family Name--rough cut, not for broadcast, 6 April 1996

Family Name--Act I/Act II, 1 April 1996

Family Name--trailer

Family Name--rough trailer, 26 April 1995

Archival Film #2, 22 January 1996

Unlabeled Video

Archival, #2 Y55

National Archive Footage --Charles Alston/Civil Rights March/KKK

Family Name, 17 October 1995

Family Name, 17 July 1996

Video in cardboard case--7223

The Civil War--Ken Burns, excerpts

Archive Films #3

Family Name--rough cut, 10 November 1995

Miles Connell --"In Uncle Robert's Footsteps,"8 August 1994

Family Name--time code window dubs, 7 August 1996

Family Name--MX cues, 9 November 1996

Family Name--cut, 9 July 1996

Family Name, 17 July 1996

Family Name, 1 November 1995

Family Name--recut first pass

Family Name--recut fourth pass

Family Name--music cues (1-21)

Family Name--music cues, 5 November 1996

Family Name, 16 November 1996

Family Name--music cues, 1 November 1996

Family Name--trailer

Family Name, 10 November 1996

Family Name, 7 August 1994

Interview with Gylbert Coker (1 of 2), 20 October 1993

AAGHS Conference-- Family Name #2

Washington--African American General Society Conference, tape #1

Audiovisual Box 9

#1 Y55

Macky Alston Family--Princeton, (tape 3 of 3), 8 January 1994

Fred Alston's Tape--TV-- performing with chamber orchestra

"Segregation"--VHS with logo

John E. Allen, Inc.--1B03 Blacks/1B04 Blacks

Family Name--research, "Designing Women,"1 November 1983

Macky on phone with parents, Macky and Jocelyn, Macky on project

Archive Productions--archive film #1, 8 November

Macky Alston Family--(tape 1 and 2 of 3), 8 January 1994

Family Name--trailer

H18 South Shoot Selex

Family Name--picture lock, not for broadcast (2 copies)

Family Name--Acts 1 and 2, rough cut, 22 April 1996

Brookgreen SC ETV 1994

Family Name--Herschel Dwellingham

Family Name--trailer (4 copies)--12 minutes

Family Name--trailer (not titled, mixed, or on-lined)

Family Name--rough cut , 5 December 1995

Family Name--rough cut, 10 November 1995

Family Name--workprint #1

Archive Footage/Selects--SH1000

Archive Films #4

Cut, 6 June 1996

FN ( Family Name)--rough, Act 1 and 2, 22 April 1996

Family Name, 7 January 1997

Audiovisual Box 10

Family Name--RLS 1-9, 9 September 1995

Family Name--RLS 5-9, 11 September 1995

Family Name, 23 September 1995

Family Name, 3 November 1995

Family Name--music cues, 14 October 1996

Family Name--cut, 3 June 1996

Family Name--cut, RLS 1-4 September 1995

Family Name--workprint--scratch mix with temp music

Family Name--workprint--scratch mix temporary music, not for broadcast

Family Name--workprint #4

H18 Selex Tape--subway/Gylbert/art value/family meeting, 18 May 1996

Family Name--workprint--scratch mix with temporary music

Family Name--music cues, 6 October 1996

Nick in Chapel Hill and other footage

Family Name--trailer

Showcase Performance, Part II (Arts in Education Showcase), 25 September 1992

Family Name--picture lock (not for broadcast) (2 copies)

Family Name, 6 May 1996

Opelika Pictures--Little Rock Archival

Family Name--trailer

Family Name--trailer (2 copies)

Family Name

Family Name--trailer, 81790

Family Name--master--color corrected negative

Family Name--trailer (white case)

Scotland Neck --"Movies of Local People"1939

Family Name, 16 April 1996

Charlotte Blake Alston--at Lowery Elementary School

Charlotte Blake Alston

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expand/collapse Expand/collapse Series 6. Video Tapes Hi 8

Audiovisual Box 11

Life's Other Side (tape 1), 25 March 1996

Life's Other Side (tape 2), 25 March

M. Alston Family (1 of 3), 8 January 1994

Family Name (tape 1), Summer 1994

Family Name (tape 2), Macky goes to art storage facility

Family Name (tape 4), Revolutionary War re-enact

Family Name--last talk

Family Name--Macky at library in Washington, D.C. (tape 2), 28 April 1994

Family Name--Escalator, Friday Conference (tape 3), 28-29 April

Family Name--Edward Ball Conference (tape 4)

Family Name--D.C. conference and interviews (tape 5)

Family Name--conference day #2 (tape 6), 30 April 1994

Unlabeled tape

Interview with Gylbert Coker--1st meeting (tape 1 of 2), 30 October 1993

Coker Interview--(2 of 2), 30 October 1993

Macky Alston Family--Princeton (tape 2 of 3), 8 January 1994

Macky Alston Family--Princeton (tape 3 of 3), 8 January 1994

Archive Footage/Selects SH 1000

Selex SH #1200 (tape 1), Lanel Luttaway

SH 1200 (tape 1), Pittsboro Cemetery and other footage

SH 1200 (tape 2) Rousmaniere--past reunion

SH 1200 (tape 3)

Miscellaneous Selex for Kine (#1), 22 March 1996

Transfers for trailer, Aus Trailer (tape 1)--possible master

Washington Trip--Alison

Mos/--(no case)

Unlabeled Tape (no case)

Family Name--RL 9 (tape 3), 2 September 1995

Family Name--17 October

Family Name--(tape 2), 2 September 1995

Family Name--1st rough RL 1-4

Family Name Promotion--(tape #2) trailer

Select Reels 1,2,3,4,5

Miscellaneous Selex for Kine, SHOOT 1100 (tape 2), 22 March 1996

Family Name--sync slate

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expand/collapse Expand/collapse Series 7. Record Albums.

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expand/collapse Expand/collapse Series 8. Film.

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expand/collapse Expand/collapse Series 9. Oversized Papers.

Oversize Box OB-20290/1

Genealogical materials

Cemetery map, Images for Key Art (folder with lists of enslaved peopled for estates of George Alston and Philip Alston. Lists of people enslaved in Chatham County, N.C., estates, Census records from North Carolina and Georgia (photocopies), Genealogy charts--Alstons.

Previously listed as Box 26

Oversize Paper Folder OPF-20290/1

Art work

Acquisitions Information: Accession 99300 (Addition of August 2002)

Oversize Paper Folder OPF-20290/2

Art prints

Acquisitions Information: Accession 99300 (Addition of August 2002)

Oversize Paper Folder OPF-20290/3

Miscellaneous

Acquisitions Information: Accession 99300 (Addition of August 2002)

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expand/collapse Expand/collapse Items Separated

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