Maria P. Williams | |
|---|---|
 Photo of Maria P. Williams, ca. 1916. | |
| Born | 1866 Versaille, Missouri |
| Died | 1932 Kansas City, Missouri |
| Nationality | American |
| Occupation(s) | Teacher, Actor, Activist, Director, Filmmaker, Editor, Author, Scriptwriter and Producer |
| Known for | First film producer who was also Black and female |
| Notable work | 1923's Flames of Wrath |
| Spouse | Jessie L. Williams |
Maria Priscilla Thurston Williams (1866–1932) was a newspaper editor, film producer, author, and scriptwriter. She is credited as the first African-American woman film producer for the silent crime drama The Flames of Wrath in 1923.[1] A one-time school teacher, Williams had a history of activism, independence and interest in the liberal arts, which led her first to newspapers, then to film production, script-writing and acting and, finally, to memoir with her 1916 book My Work and Public Sentiment, in which she identified herself as a national organizer and speaker with the Good Citizens League, and stated that ten percent of the proceeds would go to suppressing crime among African Americans.[2][3]
- ^ Afi, American Film; Gevinson, Alan; Institute, American Film (1997). Within Our Gates: Ethnicity in American Feature Films, 1911-1960. University of California Press. ISBN 9780520209640.
- ^ "My work and public sentiment; By Maria P. Williams; National Organizer; Good Citizens League lecturer and writer. [Title page]". NYPL Digital Collections. Retrieved 2019-02-23.
- ^ "African-American Women in the Silent Film Industry – Women Film Pioneers Project". Retrieved 2021-09-21.