No surrender! No retreat! : African-American pioneer performers of twentieth-century American theater / Glenda E. Gill.

Format:

Book

Author/Creator:

Gill, Glenda Eloise.

Language:

English

Subjects (All):

African American entertainers--Biography.

African American entertainers.

Genre:

Biographies.

Physical Description:

xxiii, 230 pages : illustrations ; 22 cm

Edition:

First edition.

Place of Publication:

New York : St. Martin's Press, 2000.

Summary:

"No Surrender! No Retreat!" examines the careers of fifteen pioneer performers and their triumphs over herculean obstacles. It is a look back over the 20th century and documents personal histories of staggering achievement in spite of institutional racism, gender oppression, and classism. Twenty-four years in the making, "No Surrender! No Retreat!" is an indispensable work on African Americans in the performing arts, examining well-known performers, such as James Earl Jones, Morgan Freeman, and Pearl Bailey. Rare archival material and a number of personal interviews enrich this tome. Glenda E. Gill's work is a moving and sometimes tragic account of the lives and careers of some of America's most outstanding African American pioneers in theater.

Contents:

Foreword / Daniel Larner

Ch. I. What Shall the Negro Dance About?

Ch. II. Crucible and Community: The Vision of Rose McClendon

Ch. III. The Silencing of Paul Robeson

Ch. IV. Measure Her Right: The Tragedy of Ethel Waters

Ch. V. Marian Anderson: A Serene Spirit

Ch. VI. Five Interpreters of Porgy and Bess

Ch. VII. Swifter than a Weaver's Shuttle: The Days of Canada Lee

Ch. VIII. Pearl Bailey: The Black Dolly Gallagher Levi

Ch. IX. Ossie and Ruby are One!

Ch. X. James Earl Jones: "My Soul Looks Back and Wonders How I Got Over"

Ch. XI. Morgan Freeman's Resistance and Non-Traditional Roles

Ch. XII. Has Anything Changed?

Notes:

Includes bibliographical references and index.

ISBN:

0312217579

OCLC:

43083485