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Henry Browne, Farmer

6 votes

Henry Browne, an African American farmer, and his family are profiled in this film. The important job of a farmer during times of war is highlighted, specifically his efforts growing peanuts and cotton. This role is made even more poingnant when they visit the eldest son who is a cadet in the 99th Pursuit Squadron.

Status: Released

Released Date: 1942-11-15

Runtime: 11 mins

Director: Roger Barlow

Spoken language: English

Genres: Documentary

Original title: Henry Browne, Farmer

Production Companies: U.S. Department of Agriculture

Production Countries: United States of America

Cast

Narrator (voice)

Canada Lee

Reviews

Geronimo1967

Henry Browne is a farmer of forty acres of reasonably productive land that he ploughs with his two mules and with the help of his young son Henry. His wife tends a wide variety of vegetables that keeps them self-sufficient and their daughter does quite a good job rearing twenty-odd chickens that keeps them sorted for breakfast. On Saturday, they set off early for a trip to visit the eldest son who is a trainee flyer in the Air Force. They are round of him and the narration is proud of the whole family and of their efforts to not just sustain their efforts, but to work even harder and longer to support the war effort. It’s standard propagandist fayre that illustrates just how rudimentary some of the farming was in 1942 and at how hard an entire family had to work to live off the land. It steers completely clear of any racial commentary but I did wonder just how this family might have been treated by Uncle Sam ten years earlier, or later?

2025-07-19

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