The stage can be a valuable forum that both entertains and educates. While Black History Month is still a month away, now is the time to start planning your program.
Celebrating Black History Month Onstage
We owe the celebration of Black History Month in February — and more importantly, the study of black history — to Dr. Carter G. Woodson. The son of slaves, he was born in Virginia in 1875. While earning his Ph.D. from Harvard, the scholar was disturbed to find that history books largely ignored the American black population. When blacks did figure into the picture, it was generally in ways that reflected the inferior social position they were assigned at the time.
Now as ever, it is important to keep the impetus of Dr. Woodson in mind while looking for tools to enlighten our youth and keep the vision intact for all of us. Pioneer Drama Service is proud to offer plays that can contribute to the important observance of Black History Month. Any of the plays listed below can be an instrumental piece in the celebration for your school or community. Either in the classroom or on the stage, these plays are sure to entertain as well as educate.
- Anansi the Spider and the Middle Passage by Frank Higgins
Anansi, the celebrated spider from African folklore, tells the story of an African mother and daughter who are kidnapped and sold into slavery.“An imaginative re-telling of the Anansi folktales put into a new context as the tales come to America on a slave ship… Wonderfully theatrical.” ~Omaha World-Herald
- Peanutman: A Visit from George Washington Carver by Frank Higgins
This entertaining biography emphasizes George Washington Carver's determination and curiosity while utilizing outstanding audience participation. - Tale of the Mouse by Anita Gustafson
This play consists of a series of classic African folk tales narrated and performed by actors using only masks to create a variety of characterizations. - A Land Beyond the River by Loften Mitchell
Based on the true story of the integration movement in education, this play offers a look at the African-American's struggle for freedom in America.
Your high school theatre students might be interested in reading one of August Wilson’s plays. One of America’s most renowned playwrights, this multiple Pulitzer prize winning African-American wrote the “Pittsburgh Cycle” of plays, which consists of ten plays, each set in a different decade, that aim to sketch the American Black experience in the 20th century.
The following links provide you with additional study material to complement your staged production or to use independently.
- The Association for the Study of African American Life and History was founded on September 9, 1915 by Dr. Carter G. Woodson and continues the work of its founder. The informative website has an extremely detailed overview of black history, complete with timelines, contemporary issues, notable African American biographies, quizzes, resources and more.
- FamilyEducation website has activities and resources for children, including a quiz about Black History Month.
- Crayola has coloring pages, crafts, cards and lesson plans for Black History Month.
Finally, it is important to recognize the contributions of Black Theatre to our national stage.
- National Black Theatre
- Black Theatre Alliance Awards, Inc.
- Black Theatre Network: Celebrating Black Theatre
- National Black Theatre Festival
- Black Theatre Association: a focus group of the Association for Theatre in Higher Education (ATHE)
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