Frederick Moore

Ten satirical sketches written by George C. Wolfe use drama, comedy and music to examine black stereotypes and express the need for African-Americans to preserve their culture by remembering their painful but glorious heritage. Presented as museum "exhibitions," the songs and sketches address the problem of having to renounce one's history and suppress anger in order to assimilate.

Quiet and fairminded Jack Bliss traces his missing father to Hell's Hole, where he meets Helen Turner and Jack Hall, the leader of an outlaw gang rendezvousing at Hell's Hole. Hall kills Helen's father but fails in his attempts to get rid of Bliss and Helen, and Bliss, singlehanded, takes on the gang while the neighboring ranchers, settlers, and herders unite to clean out the outlaws.

Easterner Robert Wagner has been lured West by the Government's announcement of new land grants. As he prepares for the approaching land rush he make the acquaintance of Westerner Jim Henderson and his wild daughter, Tex. Tex is a true daughter of the frontier unhampered by conventions or skirts and while she finds herself smitten with Wagner, he however is hampered by his New England sensibilities and can't abide a woman that behaves as Tex does. It takes a truly grim turn of events before Tex can prove herself to this reserved New Englander.

Edgar buys a badge and a book of instructions and starts to learn the detective business. When he and his chum accompany his uncle's hired hand and his girl to town on a load of hay, and learn that a stop at the minister's means a marriage and not a murder, the two boys are sadly disappointed.

Edgar from the city goes to visit his country cousin and at once begins to impress him and his gang with the superiority of life and ways in the city. His brave effort to go barefoot "like we do in the city" causes him much pain, and everything he attempts to demonstrate the city's superiority has disastrous results. However, a black eye, a face full of bee-stings, and the general bawling-out of the gang fails to conquer him, and he declares that he is having a bully time. This silent comedy short is presumably lost.

The story of Edgar Pomeroy, the first in a series, in which the boy Edgar imagines himself the triumphant master of his fate, revenging himself on a scornful young female classmate. But then the real events are seen in contrast with the ones Edgar has created in his mind.

Edgar and his schoolmates put on a production of Shakespeare's Hamlet such as the townsfolk have never seen.

Edgar delivers a cake to his sister's ill friend. The cake arrives safely, but not sound, and Edgar is taken to task for his careless handling of the article.

On the way to Sunday school, Edgar meets the lady of his heart--and his hated rival. The Sunday-school lesson on David and Goliath so intrigues Edgar that he sees himself as David, saving the entire school, sweetheart and rival included, from Goliath's sword. Edgar's answer to the teacher's question proves his straying thoughts. As a result he is placed on the platform, where he sees himself descending to the "lower regions" as the "worst boy in the school." Edgar's Sunday adventures end with him at peace with the world, after two helpings of pie.

Edgar is called upon by his mother to execute a disagreeable errand, has to mind his troublesome younger brother, and runs away.