Jenkins’ Motion Pictures

This chapter examines C. Francis Jenkins' photographic inventions that he used to demonstrate motion pictures in a variety of applications. Despite losing in the early battle with Thomas J. Armat, Jenkins declared himself the inventor of the motion-picture projector. With the Phantoscope, he ventured into home and educational use. He would travel west, filming a Hopi Snake Dance, teach photographic expression, and invent fireproof protections for the projector. This chapter first provides an overview of Jenkins' first Phantoscopes and the patents he obtained for them before turning to his demonstrations of the use of motion pictures at home and in science. It then recounts Jenkins' use of his motion-picture camera to film the Hopi tribe in northeastern Arizona performing the Snake Dance. It also discusses the Jenkins Phantoscope Company's manufacturing of Phantoscopes for educational household use, along with Jenkins' other inventions such as the Marveloscope and a high-speed camera. Finally, the chapter considers Jenkins' promotion of the use of photography in education by teaching photographic expression.