JOURNAL ARTICLE

A License to Project: Black Female Projectionists and "Men's Work" in the US Women's Army Corps.

  • Published In: Feminist Media Histories, 2025, v. 11, n. 2. P. 9 1 of 3

  • Database: Film & Television Literature Index with Full Text 2 of 3

  • Authored By: Castro, Jasmyn 3 of 3

Abstract

During World War II, African American WACs (Women's Army Corps) served as "motion picture operators," representing a significant yet overlooked history at the intersection of nontheatrical film studies, African American studies, and women's studies. This essay explores the success African American WACs experienced at Fort Huachuca in Arizona, and the challenging assumptions and beliefs that affected the trajectory of Black women in technical film trades. Although Black women faced both racial and gender-based discrimination, they countered stereotypes by demonstrating technical proficiency as the first documented African American female projectionists in the United States. The neglected history of African American WAC projectionists underscores the need for a broader examination of the relationship between race, gender, and technology. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Additional Information

  • Source:Feminist Media Histories. 2025/04, Vol. 11, Issue 2, p9
  • Document Type:Article
  • Subject Area:Social Sciences and Humanities
  • Publication Date:2025
  • ISSN:2373-7492
  • DOI:10.1525/fmh.2025.11.2.9
  • Accession Number:184725639
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