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Collection Number: 20240

Collection Title: Maggie Holtzberg and Barry Dornfeld Collection on Gandy Dancers Documentary Film, 1991-1993

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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 68 items
Abstract The collection contains film elements compiled during the making of Gandy Dancers, a 1994 documentary directed and produced by Maggie Holtzberg and Barry Dornfeld. "Gandy dancer" is a slang term for a railroad section worker who lays and repairs track. Holtzeberg and Dornfeld's film features eight retired African American rail workers or gandy dancers. The retirees share stories of working in the mid-twentieth-century, segregated South, discuss organized labor and the safety standards and hazards of rail work, and demonstrate their occupation's musical and folklore traditions, especially rail calls (cadence chants) and work songs. These rail calls and work songs often had sexually explicit lyrics, while others had religious faith and social protest as themes. Acquired as part of the Southern Folklife Collection.
Creator Holtzberg, Maggie, 1955-

Dornfeld, Barry, 1958-
Curatorial Unit University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Library. Southern Folklife Collection.
Language English
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Restrictions to Access
Use of audio or visual materials may require production of listening or viewing copies.
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 Maggie Holtzberg and Barry Dornfeld Collection on Gandy Dancers Documentary Film #20240, Southern Folklife Collection, Wilson Special Collections Library, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.
Acquisitions Information
Received 2018 (Acc. 103487).
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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Encoded by: Laura Smith

Updated by Andrew Crook and Laura Smith, October 2022; April 2024

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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 Biographical Information

Maggie Holtzberg (1955-) and Barry Dornfeld (1958-) were co-directors and producers of the 1994 documentary film Gandy Dancers. The film featured retired African American railroad workers sharing their stories, musical traditions and railroad calls.

Maggie Holtzberg is a folklorist with a PhD from the University of Pennsylvania and the author of The Lost World of the Craft Printer and Portrait of Spirit: One Story at a Time. She has served as the folklife program director at the Georgia Council for the Arts and the manager of the folk arts program at the Massachusetts Cultural Council.

Barry Dornfeld is a documentary filmmaker whose other films include Eatala: A Life in Klezmer, LaVaughn Robinson: Dancing History, Look Forward and Carry on the Past: Stories from Philadelphia’s Chinatown, and Plenty of Good Women Dancers: African-American Women Hoofers in Philadelphia. He holds a PhD from the Annenberg School for Communication at the University of Pennsylvania. Dornfeld has taught at New York University and worked at a management consulting firm.

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expand/collapse Expand/collapse Scope and Content

The collection contains film elements compiled during the making of Gandy Dancers, a 1994 documentary directed and produced by Maggie Holtzberg and Barry Dornfeld. "Gandy dancer" is a slang term for a railroad section worker who lays and repairs track. Holtzeberg and Dornfeld's film features eight retired African American rail workers or gandy dancers. The retirees share stories of working in the mid-twentieth-century, segregated South, discuss organized labor and the safety standards and hazards of rail work, and demonstrate their occupation's musical and folklore traditions, especially rail calls (cadence chants) and work songs. These rail calls and work songs often had sexually explicit lyrics, while others had religious faith and social protest as themes.

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Contents list

expand/collapse Expand/collapse Maggie Holtzberg and Barry Dornfeld Collection on Gandy Dancers Documentary Film, 1991-1993

Film F-20240/1

Gandy Dancers, 1991

16mm

2400 feet

Negative; Color

Film F-20240/2

Gandy Dancers, 1991

16mm

1200 feet

Negative; Color

Film F-20240/3

Gandy Dancers, 1991

16mm

1200 feet

Negative; Color

Film F-20240/4

Gandy Dancers, 1991

16mm

1222 feet

Negative; Color

Film F-20240/5

Gandy Dancers, 1991

16mm

1228 feet

Negative; Color

Film F-20240/6

Gandy Dancers, 1991

16mm

1200 feet

Negative; Color

Film F-20240/7

Gandy Dancers, 1991

16mm

1200 feet

Negative; Color

Film F-20240/8

Gandy Dancers, 1991

16mm

1200 feet

Negative; B/W

Box reads: "Customer: Georgia State, Subject: Gandy Dancers"

Film F-20240/9

Gandy Dancers, 1991

16mm

1200 feet

Negative; Color

Box reads: "Customer: Georgia State, Subject: Gandy Dancers"

Film F-20240/10

Gandy Dancers, 1993

16mm

1000 feet

Film F-20240/11

Gandy Dancers, 1993, pix

16mm

3600 feet

Film F-20240/54

Gandy Dancers, 1993, mag

16mm

Film F-20240/12

Gandy Dancers, 1991

16mm

300 feet

Mag stock; Magnetic

Film F-20240/13

Gandy Dancers, 1991

16mm

350 feet

Mag stock; Magnetic

DC Fest - Tone/Wild

Film F-20240/14

Gandy Dancers, 1991

16mm

650 feet

Mag stock; Magnetic

Film F-20240/15

Gandy Dancers, 1992

16mm

700 feet

Mag stock; Magnetic

Ambient Mechanized Crew; Wild mech scenes

Film F-20240/16

Gandy Dancers, 1991

16mm

900 feet

Mag stock; Magnetic

Interview w/Cornelius Wright Jr. + Sr. Sync Track 3

Film F-20240/17

Gandy Dancers, 1991

16mm

700 feet

Positive; Color

"Group Interview" Roll 1 Sync Pic

Film F-20240/18

Gandy Dancers, 1991

16mm

950 feet

Mag stock; Magnetic

"DC Festival" Sync Track

Film F-20240/19

Gandy Dancers, 1991

16mm

1100 feet

Positive; Color

"DC Festival" Sync Pic

Film F-20240/20

Gandy Dancers, 1991

16mm

800 feet

Mag stock; Magnetic

Wild Sound - Trains

Film F-20240/21

Gandy Dancers, 1991

16mm

700 feet

Mag stock; Magnetic

"Group Interview" Roll 1 Sync Track

Film F-20240/22

Gandy Dancers, 1991

16mm

400 feet

Mag stock; Magnetic

"Carrington and Brown Interview" Sync Track HDS

Film F-20240/23

Gandy Dancers, 1991

16mm

900 feet

Mag stock; Magnetic

"Linin Track" Sync Track 1 HDS

Film F-20240/24

Gandy Dancers, 1991

16mm

1100 feet

Positive; Color

"Linin Track" Sync Pic 1

Film F-20240/25

Gandy Dancers, 1991

16mm

350 feet

Mag stock; Magnetic

WILD TRK "Linin' Track" HDS

Film F-20240/26

Gandy Dancers, 1991

16mm

900 feet

Positive; Color

"Lining Track" Roll 2, Sync Track; optical sound (stereo)

Film F-20240/27

Gandy Dancers, 1991

16mm

1000 feet

Positive; Color

"Lining Track" Roll 2, Sync Pix

Film F-20240/28

Gandy Dancers, 1991

16mm

200 feet

Positive; Color

M.O.S. Interviews

Film F-20240/29

Gandy Dancers, 1991

16mm

250 feet

Mag and Pix

Mag stock (Wild - Wright Interview "Sewing Machine" Call), Positive, Color (Trims/Pix from missing roll)

Film F-20240/30

Gandy Dancers, 1991

16mm

500 feet

Mag stock; Magnetic

Film F-20240/31

Gandy Dancers, 1991

16mm

550 feet

Positive; Color

Mechanical Crew + Training Sync Pix

Film F-20240/32

Gandy Dancers, 1991

16mm

500 feet

Positive; Color

Stills (U.B.) M.O.S.

Film F-20240/33

Gandy Dancers, 1991

16mm

200 feet

Mag stock; Magnetic

Wild Track for Group Interviews

Film F-20240/34

Gandy Dancers, 1991

16mm

150 feet

Positive; B/W

Bono Film & Video Services 3200 Lee Highway Arlington, Virginia 22207; From National Archive = Not Printed; 200 FC 1770-72 FGM

Film F-20240/35

Gandy Dancers, 1991

16mm

300 feet

Positive; Color

Mechanized Crew + Trains/Sync Track; Synch Marks; PIX

Film F-20240/36

Gandy Dancers, 1991

16mm

300 feet

Mag stock; Magnetic

Frisco First Trk, Synch Marks

Film F-20240/37

Gandy Dancers, 1992

16mm

300 feet

Inter Negative; Color

Gandy Dancers Film Project 2 Tabs "Frisco First" 16 InterNegative, 1-16-92

Film F-20240/38

Gandy Dancers, 1991

16mm

650 feet

Mag stock; Magnetic

Cole Intv, Roll 1 Sync TRK

Film F-20240/39

Gandy Dancers, 1991

16mm

750 feet

Positive; Color

Cole Interview, Roll 1 SYNC PIC

Film F-20240/40

Gandy Dancers, 1991

16mm

650 feet

Positive; Color

Optical sound (stereo), M.O.S. Train Shots/Alabama

Film F-20240/41

Gandy Dancers, 1991

16mm

700 feet

Positive; Color

MOS Mech Crew

Film F-20240/42

Gandy Dancers, 1991

16mm

700 feet

Mag stock; Magnetic

Group Intv Roll 2 Sync Track

Film F-20240/43

Gandy Dancers, 1991

16mm

700 feet

Positive; Color

Group Intv Roll 2 Sync Pic

Film F-20240/44

Gandy Dancers, 1991

16mm

750 feet

Positive; Color

Sync Pic Intv w/Cornelius Wright Jr. + Sr.

Film F-20240/45

Gandy Dancers, 1991

16mm

650 feet

Positive; Color

Interview w/Cornelius Wright Jr. + Sr., Sync pic 2

Film F-20240/46

Gandy Dancers, 1991

16mm

750 feet

Mag stock; Magnetic

Interview w/Cornelius Wright Jr. + Sr. Sync Track

Film F-20240/47

Gandy Dancers, 1991

16mm

600 feet

Mag stock; Magnetic

Interview w/Cornelius Wright Jr. + Sr. Sync Track 2

Film F-20240/48

Gandy Dancers, 1991

16mm

564 feet

Negative; Color

Three rolls on cores; Dornfield Natl Archives

Film F-20240/49

Gandy Dancers, 1991

16mm

1200 feet

Negative; Color

Neg Outs Pulled for Opt

Film F-20240/50

Gandy Dancers, 1991

16mm

1000 feet

Positive; Color

Interview w/ Cornelius Wright Jr + Sr., Sync Pix 3

Film F-20240/51

Gandy Dancers, 1991

16mm

950 feet

Mag stock; Magnetic

"Cole Interview" Roll 2 Sync Track

Film F-20240/52

Gandy Dancers, 1991

16mm

1000 feet

Positive; Color

"Cole Interview" Roll 2 Sync Pic

Film F-20240/53

Gandy Dancers, 1991

16mm

1000 feet

Mag stock; Magnetic

Wild Trains 4, S.R. 4

SFC Audio Open Reel FT-20240/18240

'Gandy Dancers': Roll 1, 31 May 1991

1/4" Open Reel Audio

Back of Box: 5-31-91, Gandy Dancers, Roll #1

SFC Audio Open Reel FT-20240/18241

'Gandy Dancers': Roll 2

1/4" Open Reel Audio

Back of Box: Gandy Dancers, Roll #2

SFC Audio Open Reel FT-20240/18242

'Gandy Dancers': Roll 3

1/4" Open Reel Audio

Back of Box: Gandy Dancers, Roll #3

SFC Audio Open Reel FT-20240/18243

'Gandy Dancers': Roll 4

1/4" Open Reel Audio

Back of Box: Gandy Dancers, Roll 4

SFC Audio Open Reel FT-20240/18244

'Gandy Dancers': Roll 5, Cornelius Wright Jr. and Cornelius Wright Sr. interview, 31 May 1991, reel 1 of 3

1/4" Open Reel Audio

Back of Box: Gandy Dancers, Roll #5, Interview w/ Cornelius Wright Jr. and Cornelius Wright Sr., 5/31/91, First Reel of Interview, Mostly Sync

SFC Audio Open Reel FT-20240/18245

Gandy Dancers': Roll 6, Cornelius Wright Jr. and Cornelius Wright Sr. interview, 31 May 1991, reel 2 of 3'

1/4" Open Reel Audio

Back of Box: Gandy Dancers #6, Interview with Cornelius Wright Jr. and Cornelius Wright Sr., 5/31/91, Sync

SFC Audio Open Reel FT-20240/18246

'Gandy Dancers': Roll 7, Cornelius Wright Jr. and Cornelius Wright Sr. interview, 31 May 1991, reel 3 of 3, Group Re-Creation, Calera, AL.,1 June 1991, reel 1 of 3 31 May 1991; 1 June 1991

1/4" Open Reel Audio

Back of Box: Gandy Dancers , Roll #7, Interview with Cornelius Wright Jr. and Cornelius Wright Sr., 5/31/91, Group Recreation 6/1/91, Calera, Alabama, Sync and Wild

SFC Audio Open Reel FT-20240/18247

'Gandy Dancers': Roll 8, Group Re-Creation, Calera, AL, 1 June 1991, reel 2 of 3

1/4" Open Reel Audio

Back of Box: Gandy Dancers, Roll #8, Group Re-creation, 6/1/91, Calera, Alabama, All sync material and some wild

SFC Audio Open Reel FT-20240/18248

'Gandy Dancers': Roll 9, Group Re-Creation, Calera, AL, 1 June 1991, reel 3 of 3

1/4" Open Reel Audio

Back of Box: Gandy Dancers, Roll #9, Group Re-creation, 6/1/91, Cornelius Wright, John Mealing, Henry Caffey, Abraham Parker, Arthur James, Mostly Sync, Last Reel of Work Re-creation

SFC Audio Open Reel FT-20240/18249

'Gandy Dancers': Roll 10, Group Re-Creation, Calera, AL, 1 June 1991, Gandy Dancer Group Interview

1/4" Open Reel Audio

Back of Box: Gandy Dancers, Roll #10, Group Recreation, 6/1/91, Gandy Dancers Gathering in Calera, Alabama, This reel is all group interview

SFC Audio Open Reel FT-20240/18250

'Gandy Dancers': Roll 11, Group Re-creation, 1 June 1991, Group Interview, John Cole interview, 2 June 1991, reel 1 of 3 1-2 June 1991

1/4" Open Reel Audio

Back of Box: G-1 & G-2 1991, Gandy Dancers, Roll #11, G-1 Group Recreation 6/1/91, CR22, Group Interview, G-2 John Cole Interview, 6/2/91, CR 23, Recorded on Mono Nagra

SFC Audio Open Reel FT-20240/18251

'Gandy Dancers': Roll 12, John Cole interview, Lauderdale, MS, 2 June 1991, reel 2 of 3

1/4" Open Reel Audio

Back of Box: 6-2-91, Gandy Dancers, Roll 12, Interview with John Cole, 6/2/91, At his house in Lauderdale, MS

SFC Audio Open Reel FT-20240/18252

'Gandy Dancers': Roll 13, John Cole interview, Lauderdale, MS, 2 June 1991, reel 3 of 3

1/4" Open Reel Audio

Back of Box: 6-2-91, Gandy Dancers, Roll 13, Interview with John Cole, 6/2/91, At his house in Lauderdale, MS

SFC Audio Open Reel FT-20240/18253

'Gandy Dancers': Roll 14, 29 June 1991

1/4" Open Reel Audio

Note on Reel: Barry Dornfeld, Gandy Dancers, SR 14, 6/29/91

SFC Audio Open Reel FT-20240/18254

'Gandy Dancers': Roll 15, 29 June 1991

1/4" Open Reel Audio

Note on Reel: Barry Dornfeld, Gandy Dancers, SR 15, 6/29/91

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