Jacksonville’s Norman Studios preserves legacy of early Black cinema – News4JAX

Brianna Andrews, Reporter, weekend anchor
Ben Schubert, Photojournalist, Jacksonville
Published: August 27, 2025 at 6:00 AM
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Brianna Andrews, Reporter, weekend anchor
Ben Schubert, Photojournalist, Jacksonville
JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – Long before mainstream Hollywood began telling diverse stories, Jacksonville’s own Norman Studios was making history—serving as a hub for what were known as “race films.”
Located in the city’s Old Arlington neighborhood, Norman Studios now operates as a historical film museum, preserving the legacy of a pioneering era in American cinema.
“It’s also a forgotten part of history,” said Barbara Wingo, president of the Norman Studios Film Museum.
Founded more than a century ago by filmmaker Richard Norman, the studio helped reshape how Black actors were portrayed on screen. At a time when African Americans were often stereotyped or excluded from leading roles, Norman cast them as heroes, professionals, and central characters.
One of his most notable works, The Flying Ace, tells the story of a Black World War I pilot returning home a hero—a narrative that was virtually unheard of in the early 20th century.
“Race films showed African Americans in positive ways,” Wingo said. “Ninety-nine percent of movies from the teens and 20s portrayed Black people as slaves or in roles rooted in mimicry.”
Wingo, who leads efforts to preserve and promote the studio’s legacy, said many visitors are surprised to learn about its existence and impact.
“A lot of people say, ‘I didn’t know this was here,’” she said. “They’re intrigued. They want to know how a white man did this in Jacksonville—during a time when Florida had the highest rate of lynchings in the country.”
The Flying Ace was the last silent film produced at Norman Studios. More than a century later, it continues to educate and inspire, offering a glimpse into a powerful chapter of film history that began right here in Jacksonville.
Copyright 2025 by WJXT News4JAX – All rights reserved.
This native of the Big Apple joined the News4Jax team in July 2021.
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Ben is a journalist and geek with the goal of being a positive voice seeking to build up and educate others. He graduated from the University of Tennessee in 2024 majoring in Journalism and Electronic Media.
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