Footnotes : the Black artists who rewrote the rules of the Great White Way / Caseen Gaines.

Book

Gaines, Caseen, 1986- author.

Naperville, Ilinois : Sourcebooks, [2021]

©2021

©2021

435 pages : illustrations ; 24 cm

In 1921, when the curtain rose on the first all-Black musical to succeed on Broadway, no one was sure if America was ready for a show featuring nuanced, thoughtful portrayals of Black characters -- and the potential fallout was terrifying. But from the first jazzy, syncopated beats of composers Noble Sissle and Eubie Blake, New York audiences fell head over heels for Shuffle Along, which was unlike anything they had seen before. Footnotes is the story of how Sissle and Blake, along with comedians Flournoy Miller and Aubrey Lyles, overcame poverty, racism, and violence to harness the energy of the Harlem Renaissance and produce a runaway Broadway hit that launched the careers of many of the twentieth century's most beloved Black performers. Author and pop culture expert Caseen Gaines leads readers through the glitz and glamour of New York City during the Roaring Twenties to reveal the revolutionary impact one show had on generations of Americans, and how its legacy continues to resonate today. -- adapted from jacket.

Blake, Eubie, 1887-1983. Shuffle along.

African Americans in the performing arts -- New York (State) -- New York -- History -- 20th century.

African American theater -- New York (State) -- New York -- History -- 20th century.

American drama -- African American authors -- History and criticism.

Broadway (New York, N.Y.) -- History.

Black artists who rewrote the rules of the Great White Way : footnotes

Includes bibliographical references (pages 380-382) and index.

Part 1. The way there -- The blacker the bait, 1885-1915 -- Know your audience, 1915 -- High society, 1915-1917 -- Mo man's land, 1917-1919 -- The Red summer, 1919 -- Partnered, 1919-1921 -- Part 2. Making it -- Black bohemians, 1921 -- Nevertheless, they succeeded, 1921-1922 -- Vamped by a brown skin, 1922-1923 -- Part 3. Holding on -- Partial ownership, 1923-1924 -- Better than salary, 1924-1925 -- Another second chance, 1925-1933 -- White folks follow, 1933-1952 -- Epilogue: Encores.

2020058245

9781492688815 (hardcover)

1492688819 (hardcover)

1179270451

3845594

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