Showroom Classics: Daughters of the Dust 12A

In 1902 on the Sea Islands south of Georgia, members of the Peazant family are preparing to move north to the mainland. Part of the Gullah community, the family descend from enslaved people brought from Africa centuries earlier, who developed a unique language and culture on their isolated islands. The younger members of the community’s desire to move away causes tension with their elders, who worry about the loss of connection to their heritage.

Daughters of the Dust was the first feature film directed by a Black woman (Julie Dash) to receive theatrical distribution in the United States, and the poetic imagery, dreamlike cinematography and powerful message have earned it a place in the National Film Registry and inspired many other filmmakers, including Beyoncé and her visual album Lemonade.