People, Locations, Episodes

Jody ‘Butterbeans’ Edwards, Vaudevillian born

*Jodie ‘Butterbeans’ Edwards was born on this date in 1895. He was a Black Vaudeville performer. Jodie Edwards was from Marietta, Cobb County, Georgia; he began his career in 1910 as a singer and dancer. He took the name “Butterbeans” in honor of fellow performer Butler “Stringbeans” May, who died in 1917. He met Susie Hawthorne in […]

‘Black and Blue’ Debuts on Broadway

*On this date in 1989, Black and Blue made its Broadway stage debut. This musical revue celebrates the Black culture of dance and music in Paris between World War I and World War II.   Based on an idea by Mel Howard and conceived by Hector Orezzoli and Claudio Segovia, it consists of songs by artists such as W. C. Handy, Louis Armstrong, Duke Ellington, Fats Waller, Eubie Blake, and Big […]

Daughters Of Africa is Published

*Daughters of Africa: An International Anthology of Words and Writings by Women of African Descent from the Ancient Egyptian to the Present celebrated this date in 1992. This book is a compilation of orature and literature by more than 200 women from Africa and the African diaspora, edited and introduced by Margaret Busby, who compared assembling […]

The African American Shakespeare Company is Founded

*On this date in 1994 (Shakespeare’s birthday), we celebrate the founding of the African American Shakespeare Company (AASC).  AASC is the only company of Black actors in the United States that performs European Classical works.  Located in San Francisco, the company was founded by Sherri Young.   The Theatre company has expanded to include a full […]

A Black Woman Wins the Pulitzer for Drama

*On this date in 2002, Suzan-Lori Parks won a Pulitzer Prize for Topdog/Underdog her play on Broadway at the Ambassador Theater.

She was the first African American woman in 85 years to win a Pulitzer Prize in a drama category. The play tells the story of two blood brothers named Lincoln and Booth, one a card shark and Abe Lincoln impersonator, the other, a student of the three-card-Monty con game.

When Parks was asked about her inspiration for writing Topdog/Underdog, her answer was: “It chose me. I wasn’t planning or plotting or scheming….”

The First Black Woman Wins A Tony Award For Dramatic Lead Role

On this date in 2004, the first Black actress won a “Tony Award” for a leading dramatic role.

Phylicia Rashad made the theatrical history. She received the prize for her portrayal of Lena Younger, the tough-minded matriarch in a revival of “A Raisin in the Sun.”