Maria P Williams

Maria P. Williams is a name that few film buffs and even film historians would know, but she is the earliest known African American woman film producer. She has one film to her name, a crime drama, 'The Flames of Wrath' (1923) in which she produced, directed, and acted. Currently, only one frame of the film is known to exist, and it is housed in the George P. Johnson Negro Film Collection, 1916-1977 in the Young Research Library at the University of California.

She was based in Kansas City, Missouri, and worked with her husband, Jesse L Williams, in their film production company, the Western Film Producing Company and Booking Exchange. Jesse was President and General Manager while Maria was Assistant Manager, Secretary and Treasurer.

Her career up until this point revolved around social activism and leadership as evident in a short book she authored, My Work and Public Sentiment, published in 1916, which credits her on the cover as “National Organizer, Good Citizens League, Lecturer and Writer.” Motion pictures, however, appear to have been the family business.

Synopsis of 'The Flames of Wrath' (1923) Cast: Roxie Mankins (Pauline Keith), John Burton (William Jackson), Charles Pearson (Guy Braxton), Anna Kelson (Flora Fulton), John Lester Johnson (Frank Keith), Frank Colbert (C. Dates) and Maria P Williams (prosecuting attorney).

After P.C. Gordon is murdered and robbed of a diamond ring that he brought as a birthday present for his wife, one of the thieves, C. Dates, is apprehended. A woman prosecuting attorney makes a compelling case against him, and he is given a ten-year jail sentence. Dates escapes and heads for the vacant lot where he buried the ring. Meanwhile, a boy playing in the lot, digs up the ring and gives it to his older brother, Guy Braxton, a prosperous dry goods merchant. Guy shows it to William Jackson, an unscrupulous attorney. When Pauline Keith, Jackson's young stenographer, learns of Jackson's scheme to steal the diamond, which also involves her own father, and a woman, Flora Fulton, she begins to investigate. After Jackson finds that several incriminating documents are missing, he fires Pauline. She immediately goes to work for Guy and prevents the theft of the diamond. Jackson is later elected district attorney and orders the arrest of Guy, but Pauline obtains evidence of Guy's innocence and saves him from a long term prison sentence. After a $2,000 reward is issued for Dates, he turns himself in and is pardoned.

Info and Image: Women Film Pioneers Project