Uploaded June 2026 | Updated September 2026, 3 weeks ago
See the whole documentary here. youtu.be/EoFlvfpUmv4
This beautiful documentary film, made in 1978 stars Mississippi farmer Tom Johnson who was born in the late 1800s. The film was made by William Ferris, one of my favorite documentary filmmakers who took a camera and a sound rig and went to places “in his neighborhood” and most folks said yes to his recording stories and music and culture that was and is, beautiful & unique. The film presents an ordinary/extraordinary individual living the rural life many poor Mississippians lived back at that time.
But what Tom Johnson did by training his pigs to wait until he said a prayer before they ate their mush was certainly something special. I love the reality of this documentary and of all of the work of William Ferris.
I was fortunate enough to interview him and to present a collection of clips from his films during my interview. If you would like to see my interview and more films from Mr. Ferris go here: youtu.be/HsMobpl2Sr4.
If you want to reach out to William Ferris you can contact him directly at folkstreams.net/filmmakers/ferris-bill.
If you found this clip of meaning to you, please click the Thanks button below the screen on the right side to support my efforts to present more clips like this one.
See the whole documentary here. youtu.be/EoFlvfpUmv4
This beautiful documentary film, made in 1978 stars Mississippi farmer Tom Johnson who was born in the late 1800s. The film was made by William Ferris, one of my favorite documentary filmmakers who took a camera and a sound rig and went to places “in his neighborhood” and most folks said yes to his recording stories and music and culture that was and is, beautiful & unique. The film presents an ordinary/extraordinary individual living the rural life many poor Mississippians lived back at that time.
But what Tom Johnson did by training his pigs to wait until he said a prayer before they ate their mush was certainly something special. I love the reality of this documentary and of all of the work of William Ferris.
I was fortunate enough to interview him and to present a collection of clips from his films during my interview. If you would like to see my interview and more films from Mr. Ferris go here: youtu.be/HsMobpl2Sr4.
If you want to reach out to William Ferris you can contact him directly at folkstreams.net/filmmakers/ferris-bill.
If you found this clip of meaning to you, please click the Thanks button below the screen on the right side to support my efforts to present more clips like this one.
