Jonathan Shandell. Readying the Revolution: African American Theater and Performance from Post-World War II to the Black Arts Movement

Key Points

• The aim is to analyze the contributions of African American theatre artists and activists from the 1940s to the 1960s.
• Compilation of essays on notable theatre artists and activists
• Historical context exploration from the civil rights movement to the Black Arts Movement
• Examination of how theatre reflected sociopolitical ideologies
• The essays illustrate the influence of African American theatre on civil rights activism and self-identity.
• They reveal how these performances prefigured the ideologies of the Black power movement.