Bill Traylor: Chasing Ghosts [Film]

As part of the International African American Museum’s (IAAM) Visions of the South Film Series, we invite you to join us for a screening of Bill Traylor: Chasing Ghosts. Our Film Series showcases films that highlight themes and topics related to African American history. 

Bill Traylor: Chasing Ghosts is an inventive documentary that vividly captures the life of Bill Traylor, an extraordinary artist who, in his late 80s, produced a remarkable body of work while living homeless on the streets of Montgomery’s thriving segregated Black neighborhood.

Born into slavery in 1853 on a cotton plantation in rural Alabama, Traylor lived through significant social and political upheaval, witnessing the end of slavery, the Reconstruction era, Jim Crow segregation, and the Great Migration. In his later years, Traylor poured out his memories through over 1,000 works of art created between 1939 and 1942. The film uses historical and cultural context to illuminate the spirit and mystery behind Traylor’s incomparable art.

Though Traylor led a solitary, humble life, he nurtured an extraordinary creative gift that remained largely untapped for decades. The film incorporates tap dance, period and original music, and dramatic readings to emphasize the cultural influences on his work, while also offering insightful perspectives from Traylor’s family and expert interviews. Traylor developed his own visual language to record the stories of his life, transforming an oral tradition into something uniquely powerful and deeply rooted in culture.

Bill Traylor: Chasing Ghosts offers a poignant reflection on a turbulent period in American history, one that still resonates today. It showcases the life of an artist whose remarkable journey—from enduring extreme hardships in an era of legalized racial injustices to becoming one of the nation’s most celebrated artists—serves as an inspiring and compelling human narrative. His work is now exhibited in museums and collections worldwide, a testament to the lasting impact of his unique artistic voice.

Ticket purchases include complimentary popcorn, refreshments, and snacks.