Home Movie Community
Home movie donors are the heart of the Project. New donors join a community of families who have entrusted us with their historic records, and who actively participate in the life of the archive. We honor and celebrate their stories, ensuring that donors' voices continue to shape our understanding of the histories we hold.
Gift a Film
If you are or were a South Sider, we want to preserve your home movies! Click below for details on preserving your family's films with SSHMP and joining our home movie community.
How to Gift a Film
ways to get involved
Community Cataloging and Community Archiving
Archiving is for everyone! Our Community Cataloging and Community Archiving projects invite neighbors and friends to join our effort to name, preserve, document and catalog South Side home movies as well as other local artifacts. Let us know if you would like to host a Community Cataloging or Community Archiving workshop with your organization.
Oral History Recording
Home movie donors are invited to record an interview and live narration of their films, with family members who recall the stories behind the films. Recording an oral history is an important step in documenting historic details and providing valuable context for the archival films.
Family Watch Party
Old home movies may not have been screened for decades, so gathering with family to watch them for the first time can be a powerful experience. Our archivist works with new home movie donors to schedule a Family Watch Party, a private premiere of your home movie collection just for family.
Public Speaking
Home movie donor families are often invited to speak about their films to community organizations, students, researchers and others interested in South Side history.
Meet Our Donors
Family archivists, local historians, amateur filmmakers, kids who watched home movies on an 8mm projector - SSHMP donors are family members who wanted to preserve a piece of their family legacy and share it as a piece of Chicago history. Whether they lived on the South Side for generations or only briefly, our donors offer an intimate window into a family’s life and a rare look at the lives of South Siders in the 20th century, through their own eyes.
Alsup Smith Family
Joined SSHMP in 2017. Represented by Vanessa Alsup, who shot the films along with her husband Kevin Alsup.
Frederick Atkins
Joined SSHMP in 2017. Represented by Freddy Atkins.
Roy Herbert Branch Family
Joined SSHMP in 2018. Represented by Elizabeth Branch Dyson, daughter of the filmmakers Roy and Kathleen Branch.
Buford Family
Joined SSHMP in 2018. Represented by Harriette Moody, sister of the filmmaker Shirley Buford Jones and spouse of the filmmaker Allyn Moody.
Burt Ramos Family
Joined SSHMP in 2021. Represented by Candice R. Frazier, granddaughter of the filmmaker Louise B. Burt. Favorite SSHMP moment: "Viewing our films and listening to my Mom and Uncle tell stories I had never heard before about my family’s history. I was deeply touched to see my Grandmother in one of the films. We were all surprised to see her because she was usually the one behind the camera."
Byrd-Forshey Family
Joined SSHMP in 2007. Represented by Emily Byrd.
Alphonse L. and Nancie Teer Ellis Family
Joined SSHMP in 2018. Represented by Susan Carlotta Ellis, daughter of the filmmakers Nancie Teer Ellis and Alphonse L. Ellis.
Lynette Frazier
Joined SSHMP in 2018. Represented by Lynette Frazier, who shot most of the films herself.
Holland Family
Joined SSHMP in 2018. Represented by Greg Holland, son of the filmmaker John Holland.
Jay Kavanaugh
Joined SSHMP in 2007. Represented by Jay Kavanagh.
Glenna Kiner
An orphan film, donated by Glenna Kiner.
Levy-Gunansky Family
Joined SSHMP in 2018. Represented by Lila Levy.
Sylvester Matthews Family
Joined SSHMP in 2018. Represented by Tracye Matthews.
Philip Maxwell Sr. Family
Joined SSHMP in 2016. Represented by Toby Maxwell.
Charles ‘Chuck’ Mayewaki Family
Joined SSHMP in 2020. Represented by Ross Harano, nephew of the filmmaker Charles “Chuck” Mayewaki.
Ellis McClelland Family
Joined SSHMP in 2017. Represented by Susan McClelland.
Charles Merrifield Family
Joined SSHMP in 2008. Represented by Leah Merrifield. Highlight of SSHMP membership: "Knowing that our family films are being tended to, preserved, and shared with thoughtfulness, care, and dedication."
Yosh Nakazawa Family
Joined SSHMP in 2018. Represented by Natalia Nakazawa.
Dr. Helen and Dr. Homer Nash Family
Joined SSHMP in 2016. Represented by Lauren Ming and Alison Nash.
Nicholas Osborn
An orphan film, donated by Nick Osborn.
Jean Patton Family
Joined SSHMP in 2016. Represented by Jeanette Foreman, the filmmaker Jean Patton’s niece, and Ghian Foreman, Jean Patton’s great-nephew.
David D. and Margaret T. Pitts Family
Joined SSHMP in 2017. Represented by Linda Pitts.
Dr. George Reed Jr. Family
Joined SSHMP in 2016. Represented by Rev. Mark Morrison-Reed, Philip Reed and Lauren Reed.
Leroy Roberson Family
Joined SSHMP in 2015. Represented by Alvinnetta Burks, Kirk Roberson and Lydia Roberson-Rainier.
Roberts Family
Joined SSHMP in 2018. Represented by Rob Walker (grandson-in-law of the filmmaker Herman Roberts), Erica Walker and Sonja Roberts.
Gustina Steele
Joined SSHMP in 2016. Represented by Gustina Steele, who shot most of the films herself.