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African Grove in New York City
The African Grove Theatre was one of the first black owned theatre, which was located in New York City. The Theatre was owned by a man named William Henry Brown and was officially opened in 1821. Brown revamped the second floor of a two-story house into a theatre which seated 300 people. The first play that he had on display for the public was a play named "Richard III" which debuted on September 22nd of 1821. From that point of he had plays of all sorts. The African Grove Theatre thrived. -
William Wells Brown writes the first known Black play
In the year 1856 William Wells Brown publishes a play, which would be the first well-known play to be published by a black man. The play was called "Escape; or, a Leap to Freedom." The play explores slavery in the United States and the harsh treatments that the slaves face everyday. The play goes into detail to provide the audience with the real life events that took place in that time period. The play was known all across the country in a short amount of time and attracted huge audiences. -
Bert William and George Walker, and Bob Cole and J. Rosamond Johnson
Bert William and George Walker were both considered as "prominent figures" during the theatrical period of time for black themed theatre. The two nicknamed themselves the "Two Real Coons." Bob Cole and J. Rosamond Johnson were also well known people during this time period. Both were musical individuals and photographers as well. -
The Harlem Renaissance
The Harlem Renaissance was a period of time where a lot of African Americans migrated. The city of Harlem located in inner New York City and from 1910-1930, became heavily populated with black people who were enthralled with theatre. This period of time is considered a "golden age" for black culture. The dramatic increase in black theatre, culture, literature and art was unmatched. The Harlem Renaissance was so powerful, it is still talked about by many people today. -
Negro Unit of the Federal Theatre Project
The Federal Theatre Project (FTP) was apart of FDR's New Deal during the Great Depression, which provided steady jobs for many black people involved in theatre. Within the FTP, there were different "Negro Units" throughout 23 different states. The most well known "Negro Unit" was the New York Negro Unit, which was stationed in Harlem, New York. During this time the Lafayette Theatre put on close to 30 productions that included plays like "Macbeth," and their most popular production, "Haitian." -
American Negro Theatre
American Negro Theatre was booming in the early to mid 1900's for many reasons. The Federal Theatre Project supported black people with steady income, and gave many people something to look forward to. The Harlem Renaissance was also a big plus because it was populated with mostly African Americans who were intrigued by theatre. Black theatre was a great way for all African Americans to broadcast their special talents for the public, and also to help them feel more comfortable during this time. -
Avant-garde movements
Avant-gardists are people who want to revolutionize art and discard the older traditions. One avant-garde movement was known as futurism, which was being explained through W.E.B Du Bois with his his book "The Souls of Black Folk." Within the book W.E.B. Du Bois described his own experiences as a black man facing the daily struggles in the United States. He also included more of a broad topic of the African American experience through many different genres within his book. -
Black Power Movement
The Black Power Movement of the 1960's was a revolutionary movement that brought worldwide attention to not only racism, but the fact that the people affected were not afraid to voice their own opinions and fight for themselves. The movement was created to bring equality to all people, to provide self-sufficiency, and to allow people to have pride in who they are and what they stand for. Without the Black Power Movement, Black theatre, and theatre in general wouldn't be the same as it is today. -
Feminist Movement
The Feminist Movement was led by furious women who demanded change, and for good reason. Women were discriminated against strictly because of their gender and struggled to find equality anywhere. The feminist movement brought light to all the things that a woman dealt with on a daily basis and brought into question the society as a whole. The Feminist Movement was big for black theatre because it gave females an opportunity to be placed in leadership roles, where they were very certified. -
National Black Theatre Festival
The National Black Theatre Festival was started by a black man named Larry Leon Hamlin, in 1989. The event is held two times a year and the crowds continue to grow larger and larger each time. The festival attracts not only black people, but anyone who enjoys theatre and the history of how it came about. The festival brings out many of the talented African Americans that have participated in, or still are participating in theatre productions.