August Wilson Black Power Movement

August Wilson Black Power Movement
"The Black Power Movement of the 1960s is the kiln in which I was fired, and has much to do with the person I am today and the ideas and attitudes
I carry as part of my consciousness" August Wilson, The Ground on Which I stand. August Wilson's plays cover the plight of black life and the central
issues facing African Americans over the course of the 20th century. As one of only seven dramatists to ever win two Pulitzer Prizes; Wilson set out to,
"tell a history that has never been told." The critical success of his plays proved not only that Americans had in interest in the untold history of African
Americans but that black theatre held promise and talent. While Wilson is best known for his playwriting, his introduction into the writing... Show more
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Wilson's plays were not just notable for the awards they earned but for the careers those plays birthed. Wilson's work is said to have helped to
propel and cement the careers of a legion of actors, directors and artisans. The original production of Fences, arguably one of Wilson's best known
plays, introduced James Earl Jones who would win a Tony for the Best performance. Mary Alice played his wife and also went on to television and
Movie fame after winning her Tony for Best Actress. Husband and wife Angela Bassett and Courtney B. Vance were both featured in Wilson's
plays. Vance was nominated for a Tony in the Best Featured Actor category for his role in Fences and Bassett was praised for her role in the New
York Drama Critics' Circle Award winning Best Play Joe Turner's Come and Gone. Denzel Washington and Viola Davis starred in the 2010 revival
of Fences earning a Drama Desk Award for Outstanding Revival of a Play. The revival was nominated for 10 Tony Awards and won for Best revival of
a Play, Best Actor (Washington) and Best Actress
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Tragic Drama According to AC Bradley's Theory of...
Part one: Tragic drama according to A.C. Bradley's theory of Shakespeare
The substance of Shakespeare's tragedy solely points out to the power of death. In this five act play, the death of important characters suffices for the
cruel reality of life. However, a completely realm is required in order to observe Shakespeare's version of tragedy. Shakespeare has used tragedy to
explain on the major paradoxes of life. It can be called a Paradox of disappointment. Defeat, unfulfilled desired, failed hopes and then finally death
are some of the faces of tragedies faced by Human. These are realities of life and cannot be avoided. Although they form the foundation of our lives
but are still considered as intruders to our ideal version of life. This is the reason why when we are confronted by tragic literature in this particular
paradox, we become fascinated.
Bradley emphasizes on viewing the literary techniques used not as the basic constituents but as the expression of tragedy. Some of the major characters
in Shakespeare's renowned tragedies are Hamlet, King Lear, Othello, and Macbeth. Most of these characters are individual sufferers as in reality; a
single man faces the paradoxes of life. In every work of Shakespeare, irrespective of the individually unique traits, we find a shattered hope or a failed
ambition as a reason for frustration. Hence, it is the disappointment paradox which serves as the substance of any tragedy as per Shakespeare.
Furthermore, it is the death itself

August Wilson's Fences
August Wilson's Fences – Building Fences
The first time I read August Wilson's Fences for english class, I was angry. I was angry at Troy Maxson, angry at him for having an affair, angry at
him for denying his son, Cory, the opportunity for a football scholarship.I kept waiting for Troy to redeem himself in the end of the play, to change his
mind about Cory, or to make up with Ruth somehow. I wanted to know why, and I didn't, couldn't understand. I had no intention of writing my research
paper on this play, but as the semester continued, and I immersed myself in more literature, Fences was always in the back of my mind, and, more
specifically, the character of Troy Maxson. What wasWilson trying to say with this piece? The more that ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
Instead of writing that I found Troy despicable and without honor or dignity, I found myself listing several reasons why he was, in fact, heroic. I
looked at why Troy Maxson did the things he did, instead of just looking at the things. I realized how difficult it was for a black man to make it in a
white mans world during the fifties, when color alone influenced every aspect of life.
Fences can be viewed as a family play, it can also be viewed as a work specifically of the black man's place, or plight, in a predominantly white world.
Either way, it has a very valuable message. It is a true art to be able to touch on so many aspects of life in a work, aspects that may be viewed
differently by different people.. Wilson's work, and the character of Troy Maxson, makes me question many things, among them myself, as well as
his intended message. This is why I am so in awe of Fences, and of Wilson's talent. This is why I am writing my paper on Fences.
I didn't know anything about August Wilson before I began my research. I was very surprised to learn about his separatist views, because his play
seemed so universal to me. I was also very surprised to learn that he had left school two years early because of a racial comment from a teacher, and
that he had acquired the remainder of his education from hours spent at the library. What I had not known was that many aspects of Fences can be seen
as

A Historical Analysis Of August Wilson
As Sam Pollard, director of the PBS special – August Wilson: The Ground of Which I Stand, asserts, August Wilson may be regarded as an American
Shakespeare, for "his body of work really covers the whole 20th century of American history...and there is no other American playwright who did that
body of work over a period of time." (American Masters, August Wilson: The Ground of Which I Stand) While such grand comparisons may or may
not be merited, August Wilson's Pittsburg Cycle stands as a literary, historical, and cultural feat in which Wilson illustrates, teaches, and preserves the
African American experience through an exploration into the poetics of the Blues. No literary scholar would deny this claim; and this assertion remains
completely ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
You don 't sing to feel better. You sing 'cause that 's a way of understanding life."
CUTLER: "That's right. You get that understanding and you done got a grip on life to where you can hold your head up and go on to see what else
life got to offer."
MA RAINEY: "The blues help you get out of bed in the morning. You get up knowing you aint alone. Tire's something else in the world. Something's
been added by that song. This be an empty world without the blues. I take that emptiness and try to fill it up with something." (Wilson, 82–83)
In this respect, the blues functions as a means of moving through suffering. Just as musicians in the band play the blues, the blues makes instruments
out of the musicians. Levee, a brash trumpeter, wants to move on from traditional blues music and into more energizing Jazz, an increasingly popular
genre. Levee wants to neglect the past, and the blues function as a reawakening to the dark reality of African American history. Being fully cognizant of
one's ancestral origins and how understanding how it may help in the present is ultimately not important to Levee – "I know he ain't talking about me.
You don't see me running around with no bone in my nose." (Wilson, 32) Larry Neal, the author of "The Black Arts Movement" published in Drama
Review, elaborates on this connection between the Blues and history: "History, like the blues, demands that we witness the painful events of our prior
lives; and that

August Wilson's Century Cycle Analysis
August Wilson has been called by many one of the best playwrights of all time. August Wilson's Century Cycle was sometimes referred to as the
Pittsburgh Cycle. The Century Cycle has been acknowledged as one of August Wilson's greatest works. "The Pittsburgh Cycle was his series of ten
plays that charts the African American experience throughout the twentieth century. All of them were set in Pittsburgh's Hill District except for Ma
Rainey's Black Bottom, which was set in Chicago" (August Wilson). Each play was set in a different decade throughout the 20th century. These plays
showed "the changing social and historical landscape of black America over 100 years" (10 Plays, 100 Years– Playwright August Wilson Reveals the
History of a Community (From the Playbill)).
Wilson once said, "I think the blues is the best literature that we as blacks have created since we've been here, and it's a lot of philosophical ideas. I
call it our sacred book" (Dyson). This genre of music was created in the south of the United States by African Americans in the late 1800's. "The blues
give lyrical shape to the hurts and affections that stymie and transform black life. The blues tap comedy to temper tragedy – and to tame the absurd"
(Dyson). The blues music was popular among slaves living in the deep south.
August Wilson stated around 20 years ago that he believes America doesn't need color–blind casting. I don't think his opposition to color–blind casting
is racist. I agree with his reasoning behind his opinion to a certain extent. Wilson said that "he opposes casting any blacks in roles written for whites
and that it detracts from the humanity of the actor. Likewise, I would be opposed to casting whites in my plays" (Shirley). However, I also agree with a
statement made by Ambush saying he "appreciates the historical underpinnings of his assumptions and his arguments. Nonetheless, Ambush believes
that minority actors should be able to play roles designed for whites – as long as it is color–conscious or culture–conscious casting instead of
colorblind. According to this policy, directors can cast nontraditionally but should not pretend that an actor's race does not matter" (Shirley). I think
casting based on race depends on the role

`` Developing Character : Fences, By Sandra Shannon
While social injustice and oppression are rooted in Troy's life, he tries to regain a sense of power and control. In the essay "Developing Character:
Fences," Sandra Shannon says, "These feelings of being passed over change Troy into a man obsessed with extorting from life an equal measure
of what was robbed from him" (95). Since Troy had a cruel and cold relationship with his father and was never able to fulfill his dream as a baseball
player, he attempts to control those around him. Yet, Troy's efforts to control his family ends up bringing them down with him. By attempting to
make up for and fill the void that was left in his life, Troy only ends up oppressing others. Just as Troy from Fences, Levee from Ma Rainey's Black
Bottom... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
These men are forced to prostitute their wonderful musical talents for mere pocket change and pats on their backs" (79). Levee attempts to put his
power on display by trying to put down others so that he can feel good about himself. When Levee's recording session starts, he decides to show up
late. Furthermore, he attempts to be flashy by purchasing a new pair of shoes that he puts on. The shoes are a symbol of power for Level. Levee
was able to by the shoes with his own money and pick them out on is own accord. This works to give Levee a sense of individualism. Levee refers to
his shoes with a feeling a pride because they belong to him and no one can take that away from him. While the other men believe that Levee's
shoes are flamboyant and excessive, Levee does not care because they make him feel good about himself. Levee puts his shoes on and says, "Yeah!
Now I'm ready! I can play some good music now!" (Ma Rainey's Black Bottom 24). In a way, the shoes are like armor for Levee, they work to protect
him against those who do not which to see him prosper. The other band members don't care about Levee's shoes. One member, Slow Drag even steps
on his shoes and does not really care that he does. However, for Levee

Analysis Of ' Fences ' And ' Heart Of Darkness '
August Wilson was a famous and influential playwright who wrote about the African American experience and conflicts with the White world.
Although he may be argued as one of the greatest playwrights in America, I myself have only heard of his work once when my seventh grade English
class read Fences, a play about a man and his son dealing with dealing with racism while also dealing with their own conflict when the son wants to
follow in the steps of his father and become a professional athlete. I had honestly forgotten all about that one play I read eight years ago. Wilson's
name was barely among the many playwrights studied in my latter years. This could be because of the content of his plays. Much of Wilson's work
examines the negative aspects of being African American in America such as racism and poverty. When we read about African American literature in
school, we read about empowerment and pride. It is ironic how students study White writers who tell stories like The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn
and Heart of Darkness with mistreated African American characters, but barely study those same stories written by Black authors, poets, and
playwrights. Because African American literature was not glorified in the past, specifically speaking of a time before the Harlem Renaissance, it may
take time for certain works of African descendants to be glorified at the same level as those of White writers, especially if their peak wasn't during the
Renaissance. Wilson's Century

August Wilson
August Wilson: Poet, Playwright, and So Much More August Wilson is a man who, outside of the theatrical world, is not very well known. Yet there
are those, like Paul Carter Harrison, who would rank him in "the same 'artistic continuum' as Langston Hughes, Toni Morrison, and Thelonius Monk."1
When I began research on August Wilson I asked myself, so what? So what if he's won awards and recognition? What has he done to merit them?
What makes this man important enough to do a research paper on? Why not Langston Hughes or Martin Luther King, Jr.? What makes this man matter
in this society? As I continued my research I realized that, throughout my entire life, I had been deprived of knowing about such a man as August
Wilson. I... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
He didn't have the money for bus fare so he hauled it to his apartment and plunked it down on his rickety old table. He first thing he wanted to do
was to type his name, but he didn't write Frederick August Kittel, instead he wrote: August Wilson. This was in effect to discard his father's absent
history and to adopt that of his nurturing mother. So, on April 1, 1965, August Wilson celebrated his birth as a poet.w Continuing his daily
excursions to the library Wilson made a few friends and together they started "the Centre Avenue Poets Theatre Workshop, which sponsored readings
and published small poetry magazines."6 Doing this he was encouraged to write poetry of his own and was soon being published by Black World and
Black Lines. In 1965, Wilson stumbled across some old 78–rpm records and bought a few for a nickel apiece, one of which was Bessie Smith's Nobody
in Town Can Bake a Jelly Roll Like Mine. When he got home he was so impressed with it he played it 22 times.l This was the first major influence
on Wilson's life, and jazz continued to exert a profound influence on him and his career as a playwright through recurring images in his plays of the
black musician. "Bessie Smith may very well be figured as Wilson's mother, for she gave birth to Wilson as what Houston Baker would call a 'blues
detective, who is able to decipher black

Fences, The Piano Lesson And Ma Rainey's Black Bottom
August Wilson, a famous playwright during the twentieth century, wrote many plays that displayed life for African–Americans throughout that time
period. The Pulitzer Prize winner has many plays that are still performed on Broadway today: Fences, The Piano Lesson, and Ma Rainey's Black
Bottom. Fences, specifically, expresses the struggle that the Maxson's face to keep their family together through the many negative situations that
they encounter. In the beginning, Troy Maxson and his friend, Bono, are sitting on the front porch drinking. Bono is aware that Troy is having an
affair with Alberta, warning him that he should stop before he ruins his marriage. When Troy's wife, Rose, enters the porch from inside the house,
Troy treats her with disrespect; however, he does show compassion towards her by describing the love that he feels for her. Their son, Cory, is a star
football player in high school with several college scouts looking at him; yet, Troy believes that Cory should find a job instead of playing football.
Rose, attempting to keep peace in the family, continuously tries to make a compromise between Troy and Cory so that they can both be happy.... Show
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Each time that Troy speaks to his wife, he asserts a sense of male dominance over her. While having a conversation with Bono, he tells her to "go on
back in the house and let me and Bono finish what we was talking about. This is men talk. I got some talk for you later. You know what kind of talk I
mean. You go on and powder it up"(1.1.83–85). Although Troy shows compassion to Rose, he repeatedly shows disrespect to her by referring to her
as woman, giving her orders to follow, and publicizing their love life to his friends. Troy's relationship with Cory is tense at the least throughout the
play; therefore, when Cory claims that his father does not like him, Troy's aggression

The Themes Of Wilson's May All Your Fences Have Gatest?
Alan Nadel in his essay, May All Your Fences Have Gatest, rightly observes that, Wilson's dramas depend on the other side of the fence for each
character. In other words, he discusses what is behind each character fences and boundaries. However, the identities of each character have different
intention of understanding these boundaries. For instance, in the play Fences, Rose understands of building the fences is completely different than
Troy's understanding. Fences for Rose represents security, represents gathering, family, and union. Michael Downing's dissertation on Wilson's work
includes Fences, The Piano Lesson, Two Trains Running,Ma Rainey's Black Bottom, and Joe Turner's Come and Gone. Michael Downing's title
clearly reflects his claim on these plays which is; "Restoring the Myths: Converting Stereotype to Archetype in Five Plays of August Wilson (1997)."
Downing argues in his doctoral dissertation that ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
Freedman in his article within The New York Time Magazine, Freedman contemplates that Wilson's Fences, Ma Rainey's Black Bottom, and Joe
Turner's Come and Gone, are mainly focuses on Wilson's anxiety with inheritance. Freedman traces Wilson's life, observing the influences on Wilson,
describing him as "bard" of the "ghetto". Freedman discusses the idea of identity within Wilson's Works, especially within Fences, Ma Rainey's Black
Bottom, and Joe Turner's Come and Gone, and how Wilson reflects his autobiography constantly through several work of his own. Michael Awkward
In his book "May All Your Fences Have Gates", criticizing particular areas in Wilson's Fences, addressing issues such as the role of history, the
relationship of African ritual to African Americandrama. Awkward also argues how Wilson connects the African American community to the music
and the culture identity in his play. Awkward also adds in his book some other essays by other scholars who also tackle issues within Wilson's Fences
and on some other

August WilsonвЂ™s real name is Fredrick August Kittel, and...
August Wilson's real name is Fredrick August Kittel, and he was born on April 27, 1945. His father was a white German immigrant baker. Wilson
was the fourth of six children that lived with their mother in Pittsburgh. His father hardly ever visited them, their mother raised them alone. Their
mother was a cleaning woman, but her work did not make enough to bring the children out of poverty. When he was in high school he dropped out
because of a racist problem that happened there. So far he has had three marriages. His plays usually show the exclusion of African Americans from
history (Shannon 16). He has many ways of writing stories, but his themes "explore and communicate the black experience in a way which seems
particular to blacks" but... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
At Pittsburgh's Halfway Art Gallery he found his audience for poetry, and got to meet some of Pittsburgh's black literati. In 1981, Wilson submittedMa
Rainey's Black Bottom, and it was accepted in the O'Neill Center. It did however, undergo many changes in the summer of 1982, it went on to play
at Yale and became the first Broadway play in 1984. His next play that he wrote was Fences. Now Fences is a interesting play to read, because
reading the background information I feel as if he was writing this book from his point of view. His dad was not always there, his dad cheated on
his mom, his mom raised the kids, and his dad was a worker and then came home and never messed with the kids or played with them. Not so much
as he treated the kids like slaves, but in a way you could say he did. Reading the play and then writing this paper has been a wonderful experience.
Reading the play gives us some back ground information about what the "1980s" were about. The racism, the abandonment, the shame, the cheating, we
see it all in this play. Wilson did a good job at showing us what it was like to be a boy in this time when you wanted to play baseball but could not
because you were black, or wanted to go somewhere and you could not because you were black. Some people would think that only "blacks" would
like to read something like this because they would "understand" it, but that is not true. Reading Wilson's

August Wilson Struggles
August Wilson, the celebrated author of the Pittsburgh Cycle, has always opposed the assimilation of African Americans into the mainstream American
society. Wilson uses his plays as a medium to uphold and celebrate African American culture while reflecting the plight of the African American
community. One strong aspect that is consistently interweaved in Wilson's works is the struggle of the black male and how he integrates and
identifies himself with the mainstream American society. The theme of power struggle is seen across a plethora of Wilson's plays, but two characters
that really stand out are Troy from Fences and Levee from Ma Rainey's Black Bottom. While these two men live in different times, they have a similar
disposition. Both... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
Troy misses out on opportunities because of the color of his skin. Troy was an extremely talented baseball power who could have played
professionally if he was not limited by the color of his skin. Born before the era of Jackie Robinson, he does not have the opportunity to play
professionally afforded to him. In order to cope with this sense of lost, Troy relies on baseball terminology in order to effectively communicate his
ideas. One of the most noteworthy instances, of the use of this language is when he continually tells Cory "don't you strike out boy" (Act ii Scene ii).
"Striking out", for Troy, works to communicate the idea that if one is to amount to anything in the world, they must play by a certain set of rules in
order to get ahead. Susan Koprince notes that baseball is a metaphor for the American dream – "am expression of hope, democratic values, and the drive
for individual success" (349). Troy through his personal experience of racism, has understood that the game of baseball will not help a black man to
realize the full promise of the American Dream. For, Troy as a black male, he understands that you cannot strike out. Black males have to play by a
strict, confined set of rules and for Troy he knows that you may get a second, chance but after that there are no more chances. During the 50s, it was
crucial for black men and the black community

Role, S Role And Characters In Ma Rainey's Black Bottom
Eleven dollars in 1927 is equivalent to almost one–hundred and fifty–five dollars today. In August Wilson's Ma Rainey's Black Bottom, Levee pays
eleven dollars, four of which he won from beating Cutler at shooting craps, for a new pair of shoes (Wilson 22, 23). When Levee arrives at the
studio that day, he brings his new shoes, takes them out of the box, puts them on, and shines them later after Slow Drag steps on them (Wilson 23, 39).
The shoes should be a pair of two–toned tan and white Oxford shoes somewhere between the sizes of eight and ten. Such a pair of shoes was stylish
enough to cost eleven dollars, but also bright and distinct enough to catch the eye of the audience and show any marks from Slow Drag stepping on
them. The appearance of the new shoes reflect Levee's pretentious character and motives. This particular production of Ma Rainey's Black Bottom is
still set in 1927, but put on in the present day. Although it can be argued that Ma Rainey's Black Bottom is timeless, I do not think setting the play in
a later year would do the play justice do to the cultural references made throughout the play, including the black bottom dance. The theater for the
production is a traditional proscenium theater without a curtain. The play specifies that there are two rooms on stage, the band room stage left and the
recording studio stage right, so the audience must be entirely seated directly in front of the stage in order to see both rooms, which I envision
separated by a

Analysis Of ' Ma ' Rainey 's Black Bottom By August Wilson
Characters of their Music
Blues and jazz music, though they both have great roots in African American history, are undeniably different forms of expressing feelings that can be
played using the same instruments. In the text, Ma' Rainey's Black Bottom by August Wilson, there is a great conflict between one of the main
characters, Levee, and the band he is to play with. His style of musical expression is Jazz, but he is playing in a blues band. Toledo and Levee are the
two main characters used to convey the personification of blues and jazz music, respectively, throughout the play. Before considering how Toledo and
Levee act as a symbol for these different styles of music, both blues and jazz must be covered. Blues music made its start ... Show more content on
Helpwriting.net ...
(As noted in the last line in the song – "Days are lonesome, nights are so long/I 'm a good gal, but I just been treated wrong" (Smith, 1926).) The
character Toledo in Ma' Rainey's Black Bottom showed the most likeness towards blues when compared as a style of music. Just as blues has its own
distinct style and message, jazz also has its own message and way to deliver it. Jazz music made its debut around the turn of the 20th century in New
Orleans, Louisiana. It uses many similar instruments as blues, but the style is more syncopated like a fast–paced skipping heartbeat upon a swinging
rhythm. Jazz uses not only vocal techniques to tell the story, but also incorporates improvisation as well. Jazz singers also introduced a style called scat
singing into their music to pull the improvisational feel of the brass and woodwind instruments. Also, contrary to blues' general tone being about the
past and moving forward, jazz's general tone is about lust, relaxation, reality, having fun, and sometimes even violence. The main form of storytelling in
jazz is the instruments. Duke Ellington's "Take the A Train" starts the story with brass and woodwinds imitating the sounds a train makes while taking
off to set the tone of the song (Ellington, 1939). Improvisation is a core part of jazz that is often misunderstood. The improvisational instrument can
change and still be the same song, but the can change the

The Personal Effects of Widespread Social Issues in Ma...
August Wilson's highly acclaimed play Ma Rainey's Black Bottom is set in Chicago in the late 1920's. The main character, Ma Rainey, is an African
American blues singer, and she is managed by a white music producer named Irvin. Levee, the youngest of four band members, takes on a
surprisingly dominant role in the play. Anyone can open a history text book and learn about the general social issues that were present in the early
nineteen hundreds. Wilson takes this history lesson one step further, and shows his readers the affects of these racial issues on a personal level. Ma
Rainey's Black Bottom shows how the disrespect and exploitation of young African Americans in the music industry can either lead to empowerment or
downfall.
Although legislation that forbade racial discrimination was passed in the late 1800's, African Americans were still disrespectable bywhite people,
especially of authoritative or high–ranking positions. When Ma Rainey and the policeman explain the accident to Irvin, the officer does not believe
the car is Ma's. She repeats firmly that it is hers, and she paid for it: "That's what you say, lady. . . We still gotta check" (Wilson 50).The police
officer insults Ma when he assumes that a black woman like her cannot possibly own a car. It is disrespectful for the white officer to put limits on Ma
Rainey's capability and wealth simply because of her race. When the band is eating together, Toledo delivers an interesting speech: "See, we's the
leftovers. The

Analysis Of Ma Rainey 's Black Bottom August Wilson
In the play Ma Rainey's Black Bottom August Wilson has many characters with many different personalities, which leads to a lot of conflict between
the characters. The play is mostly about power struggles between characters in the play. The conflicts that the characters are fighting about are related
to the power struggles between members of the band and the producers in charge of the recording studio. There are so many different power struggles
that take place throughout the play, and they have a huge effect on what ends up happening to each of the characters in the play. Each of the conflicts
that takes place as to do with each character's different opinion of something or how something should be done. These opinions that each of the... Show
. . then I can carry my black bottom on back down South to my tour, 'cause I don't like it up here no ways. (Wilson 63; Act) Ma Rainey knows that
she can always go on tour and make money instead of selling the rights to her songs. Ma Rainey could also find another producer that would buy
the rights to her songs. The reader can tell that Ma Rainey has the power in this situation because of the way she talks to Irvin. She is bossing him
around by telling him to go talk to Sturdyvant and to introduce Sylvester to the band. Another power struggle that takes place in the play is
between Ma Rainey and Levee. Levee is the youngest character in the band, and he has different ideas on how Ma Rainey's music should be
played. LEVEE: What you talking about? Mr. Irvin say he's using my version. What are you talking about? MA RAINEY: Levee, I ain't studying
you or Mr. Irvin. Cutler, get him straightened out on how to do his part. I ain't thinking about Levee. These folks done messed with the wrong
person this day. Sylvester, Cutler gonna teach you your part. You go ahead and get it straight. Don't worry about what nobody else say. (Wilson 64;
Act 10) Ma Rainey argued with Sturdyvant and Irvin the she is only playing it the way that she wants to. Ma Rainey eventually overruled what
Sturdyvant said and what Levee wants, because it is her music and if she doesn't like the way things are being played she could always find a new
band member to replace Levee. Levee needs the money from Ma

Why Is Ma Rainey Important
Gertrude "Ma" Rainey is a pivotal figure in the history of American music. She was the first person to ever perform blues and the first internationally
known African American female blues singer. Her music acted as inspiration for many distinguished figures during the Harlem Renaissance, and
continues to influence contemporary music and art.
A single source of blues music cannot be traced, but Ma Rainey is rightfully credited with introducing it to the world. Hence the reason she was
dubbed as "The Mother of the Blues". During an interview in the 1930s, Ma told musicologist John Work, that she heard what would be called
blues, for the first time around 1902. She was in a small town in Missouri working a show at the time, and one morning a local girl came into the
tent singing about a man whom had left her. This new style of soulful music drew in Ma Rainey so much she later had the girl teach her the song.
Rainey performed the song as an encore in a show soon after, earning a special place in the show, and marking the start of her career (Jas Obrecht
Archive).
Gertrude Pridgett was born in 1986 to tent performers Thomas Pridgett Sr. and Ella–Allen Pridgett. Both were said to had traveled around the south
performing minstrel shows, which was the most popular form of live comedy entertainment from 1840 to the early nineteenth century (Biography.com).
Because of her parents involvement, Gertrude had always been surrounded by show business and always had a love for singing and

Hansberry's Influence On African American Theatre
African American male playwrights historically have had a powerful voice in American theatre. In the 1930s, Langston Hughes's Mulatto (1935) was
the longest running play by an African American playwright on Broadway. In 1941, Richard Wright adapted his widely known novel Native Son
(1941) for the stage. In 1970, Charles Gordone's No Place to be Somebody was the first play by an African American dramatist to receive a Pulitzer,
and in 1981 Charles Fuller's Soldier's play also won this prestigious award. The plays of two–time Pulitzer recipient August Wilson, beginning with Ma
Rainey's Black Bottom (1984), earned him "the stature of premier theatrical mythographer of the African American experience" (Marra 123). While
men were blazing trails ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
The first and most well known of these playwrights was Lorraine Hansberry, whose impact on theatre is still felt very strongly today. Hansberry was
born May 19, 1930 in Chicago, Illinois, the youngest of four children. At eight years old, Hansberry's family moved into a predominantly white
neighborhood with limiting conditions preventing African Americans from buying homes. Hansberry's father challenged the restrictions, and the U.S.
Supreme Court ruled in his favor in 1940. Hansberry spoke about the stress and strength this case put their family through in her book To Be Young,
Gifted, and Black
The fact that my father and the NAACP "won" a Supreme Court decision, in a now famous case which bears his name in the law books, is ––
ironically –– the sort of "progress" our satisfied friends allude to when they presume to deride the more radical means of struggle. The cost, in
emotional turmoil, time and money, which led to my father's early death as a permanently embittered exile in a foreign country when he saw that after
such sacrificial efforts the Negroes of Chicago were as ghetto–locked as ever, does not seem to figure in their calculations (Saber

Comparing Wilson And Fences By Langston Hughes
The Relationship Between "Fences" By August Wilson & "Dream Deferred" by Langston Hughes Fences and Dreams Deferred does not seem to have
anything in common. However, in the context of both the play and the poem have much more comparisons. Yet, What connection a poem that was
written in 1951 that is over thirty years before "Fences" was even written? Nonetheless, Langston Hughes and August Wilson give an extraordinary
work, in which they bond together the theme, characterization, conflict, and symbols. Giving a surprising resemblance of the whole play and poem. ©
August Wilson Photo by David Cooper The playwright August Wilson was born Frederick August Kittel on April 17, 1945. Born into a German
–
African American household. Wilson grew... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
Troy ended up living life with a bittersweet taste due to his mistakes that he has taken throughout the years. The poem "Dreams Deferred" by
Langston Hughes, describes Troy Maxson's dreams. He was upset and unquiet. He was frustrated because of the fact that he could not accomplish
his dreams he hankered for so long. For example, in the poems it states " Or fester like a sore"(Hughes 617). Troy's failed dreams are like a sore,
hunting and scaring him, he is afraid of the reality. Moreover, He is always caviling everyone telling them that he could not make it into the major
leagues, because he was colored. Troy is living in denial all of his life while risking his whole family's dreams and goals they want to chase. Rose
Maxson's dreams were half– way accomplish. "I took all my feelings, my wants and needs, my dreams...and buried them inside you. I planted a seed
and watched and prayed over it. I planted myself inside you and waited to bloom" (Wilson 1062). She was devoted to her husband, a worthy wife,
and an extraordinary mother to Cory her son, stepson Lyons and stepdaughter Raynell. Rose did not asked for more than love from her beloved
husband Troy and their children. Cory's dreams were squashed, because of his father Troy Maxson. Cory wanted to play football, he asked his
parents for permission, but Troy was the only one that opposed because he felt jealous towards his own son. Yet, Troy did not wanted his own son
getting hurt as he did, when he tried to get into the major leagues. Even though, Cory could not make his dreams come true. He could find relief in
the Marines Corps where he could finally be someone. Earning respect from his family members. The general theme was dreams deferred as the
poem. Those dreams no one of the Maxson family achieved except for Rose, that despite the slip–up from her

Comparing Wilson's Fences And Black Bottom
For black musicians, music was a way for them to tell their story and to feel as if they had a voice, in a time when having a voice as a black
individual was extremely hard. Thus, music became central to black identity, because it was used to tell the plight of the black community. Black
musicians were able to create their own voice through their music, and while the white man may attempt to alter the sound of the music, they can not
take it away on a whole. For black musicians, the song lived in their heart. Therefore, when Levee realizes that he has been used by the white man, he
realizes that he has worked so hard to please someone else, when ultimately he should have worked to please himself. Sturdyvant only saw the financial
worth... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
However, trying to rise above their situations is nearly impossible for Troy and Levee because they are constantly being pushed down by others. The
white man constantly reminds them that mainstream America is only for a certain type of person and that as black men they should be lucky to even
be included. Even though by law, Troy and Levee are free men, they are very much oppressed. They attempt to gain a power and control, that was never
given to them and in the process bring down those that are around them. Shannon asserts that "black men frequently lash out at their sons or other
Blacks as alternate targets instead of confronting head–on the emasculating racism or the social and economic pressures they encounter..."
("Developing Character: Fences" 100). Even thought the plays are set decades apart, as black men Troy and Levee try to gain power, but seem to
bring down anyone who is also trying to gain some sense of power for themselves. This leads to an ongoing cycle of dreams being deferred not only
for Troy and Levee but for those that they interact with as

Civil Rights Essay
Wynisha Ogunleye African– American History 320 Writing Assignment #3 04/13/2010 Chapter 21 Question 2: What key issues and events led the
federal government to intervene in the civil rights movement? What were the major pieces of legislation enacted, and how did they dismantle
legalized segregation? "The Jim Crow regime was a major characteristic of American society in 1950s and had been so for over seven decades.
Following slavery, it had become the new form of white domination, which insured that blacks would remain oppressed well into the twentieth
century." (Morris) Civil rights and segregation were the two main issues during the 1950's and 1960's. While the Supreme Court case Brown v. Board
of Education of Topeka,... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
Martin Luther King Jr was also associated with the Southern Christian Leadership Council (SCLC). The objective was to provide stabilization for local
movements, raise money for the community, and it was the backbone for struggle. The National Advancement Association of Colored People
(NAACP) is another civil rights organization that is similar to the SCLC, yet has different tactics. When the SCLC emerged, the NAACP doubted their
efficiency, views and tactics. Because both organizations are to endure the rights of African Americans, they often work together despite their
differences. Both organizations helped to launch the Albany Movement, which was led by William G Anderson in November of 1961. This movement
strategized essential roles and tactics for the civil rights movement. Lastly, in 1960, Ella Baker founded a nonviolence ideology called the Student
Nonviolent Coordinating Committee (SNCC) upon greatness. The purpose was for young African Americans to support civil rights leaders, coordinate
sit–ins, freedom rides, and budgets, the Mississippi Democratic Party. The SNCC was one of the most prestigious civil rights groups because all the
opportunity and strength it gave African Americans. (Gordon) Chapter 24 Question 1: What social, economic, and material gains did African
Americans make after the civil rights era? Why did some black Americans do better than others during this period? After the

Ma Rainey's Black Bottom Analysis
Critique of the Play
The play Ma Rainey's Black Bottom, written by the amazing playwright August Wilson, is definitely a dynamic play. From the beginning to end it
is full of surprises, humor, and moments that really get you thinking about what was going on during the this was set in which was 1927. At first,
due to the length compared to all the other plays read in class, it appeared as though I was never going to get through all 45 pages of the scrip. On
contrary, when I got to last page I didn't want it to end. In this short critique I would like to point one of the key ideas that Wilson addresses in theplay,
but first here is a brief synopsis on the play. At the opening of the play the audience is in the Studio(Wilson never gives us a name of studio), which
appears to be decent for the 1920s and has basic necessities such microphones and a other equipment for recording in the control ... Show more content
on Helpwriting.net ...
The owners of the Studio, (Mel) Sturdyvant and (Irv) Irvin are in the studio doing mic checks. Sturdivant is in the control booth while Irvin is
connecting the microphones. It's soon clear that Sturdyvant isn't really in business to deal with black artist. As time goes by Cutler (the band's
leader that plays trombone and guitar), Slow Drag (bass player who got his name from dancing in a contest with this 'gal' he barely knew),Toledo
(piano player who is literate and tries to educate the rest of the band members) and later Levee (trumpet player who is arrogant and nothing more than
to make it big his own band) enter the studio only find that Ma Rainy isn't there. When Ma Rainey arrives after the band and producers have waiting
for hours she insists on letting her nephew Sylvester introduce her in the song "Black Bottom." The

The Struggle In Ma Rainey's Musical Prowess
While Ma Rainey's musical prowess makes her position as a success seem bearable, the story of the blacks' struggle is portrayed through the band
members. Toledo, an intellectual and the only literate member of the band, mirrors Ma's strong connection to heritage by connecting deeply with his
African roots. In spite of this, a major flaw of Toledo's is using his knowledge to demean those in the band not as concerned with the colored man's
position in white society. The basis for his blemish is his belief that the black man is the source of his own suffering, and the race as a whole needs to act
together, as Toledo says, "Now, what's the colored man gonna do with himself? That's what we waiting to find out. But first we gotta know we the
leftovers" ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
While it seems that Levee's experiences witnessing his mother being gang raped and attacked would lead him to live the life of a powerless black
man in a white world, Levee instead possesses an intense warrior spirit to thrive in the music industry. Despite his energized enthusiasm, Levee is
ignorant of the hierarchical power of whites, as Tom Koontz describes, "It is as if the knife that slashed across his eight–year–old breast shone a light
into his mind that blinded him to all but the most straightforward but superficial of meanings" (Koontz 4). While it is clear Levee's thinking is
mostly straightforward, his plan to deal with the white man is derived from his father's actions after his mother's rape as Levee defends himself,
"My daddy wasn't spooked up by the white man. Nosir! And that taught me how to handle them. I seen my daddy go up and grin in this crackers
face... that taught me how to handle them" (Wilson 70). Tragically, Levee's ignorance of his father's death, while also trying to stiff the white man,
leaves Levee both a murderer and a powerless black man living in a white

Ma Rainey Black Bottom Essay
A tragedy according to Aristotle's Poetics, "is the imitation of an action that is serious and also, as having magnitude, complete in itself; in appropriate
and pleasurable language;... in a dramatic rather than narrative form; with incidents arousing pity and fear, wherewith to accomplish a catharsis of
these emotions" (Poetics). Ma Rainey's Black Bottom is a play written by August Wilson, that takes place in a studio in the 1920's over the course of an
afternoon. The core of this play is the band members discussing amongst one another about the struggle that they as African–Americans have endured
against whites and about the current situation of prejudice African–Americans face in American society. The emotional impact of racial conflict... Show
These characters are placed in a recording so they are able to discuss with one another their life stories on how they lived as African–Americans in an
oppressive racist society. Wilson uses these different characters to show different perspectives of the spectrum of how these characters had to face the
harsh reality of being an African–American during this time. At the beginning of the play, the agent/manager of the band, Irvin, is talking to the white
studio owner, Sturdyvant. They are discussing that Ma Rainey will be coming with her band to record a few songs, and Sturdyvant does not want to
deal with her diva attitude. Irvin then urges Sturdyvant to endure her attitude because then they are able to make "a bundle" (Wilson 19) through her
music. Both Irvin and Sturdyvant do not see what Ma sees in the blues, as Ma sees it as a way of life for African–Americans and their sorrows
enveloped into the form of music, while the white producers only see it as an exploit for money. Cutler, the trombone and guitar player of the band,
described it "White folks don't care nothing about Ma Rainey. She's just another nigger who they can use to make some money" (Wilson 97).

African American Women and Feminists of the 1920's
Feminist of the 1920's
In the 1920's, blues was a very popular and dominating genre in the music industry. Generally, the blues was sung by African American women
because according to the book entitled, "Blues Legacies and Black Feminism" by Angela Davis, "...The most widely heard individual purveyors of the
blues–were women." (Davis 4) The blues delivers certain emotions such as sadness, loneliness, love, sex, and feelings about the certain circumstances
the artist may be going through at the time. Two women who dominate this style of music are Gertrude "Ma" Rainey and Bessie Smith. As stated by
"Gay & Lesbian Biography", "The careers of Rainey and Smith are closely interwoven." Ma Rainey is a woman who is admired for both her amazing
vocals and her ability to entertain. Bessie Smith is a woman who started off as a background dancer for her peer Ma Rainey, but then went on to
emulate her by outdoing her success. Both women are very talented musicians who can not only sing and entertain, but they also create an impact as
two of the most influential feminists during the 1920's who helped shape the blues into what it is today. According to Merriam–Webster Dictionary,
"Feminism is the theory of the political, economic, and social equality of the sexes." Today there are millions of feminists, compared to the 1900's,
where feminism was very seldom. During the early 1900's, slavery and the domestication of women (no matter what race they were), was very
common. Beginning in

Barrymore Theater Play Julius Caesar Essay
1.The Hill District: The Hill District is a historic African American collection of neighborhoods in the city of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Many
Pittsburghers refer to it as "The Hill". August Wilson was raised in The Hill district until his family moved to Hazelwood, which consisted of mostly
white people. The Hill District was the setting for nine of the plays in August Wilson's 10– play Pittsburgh Cycle. 2.Barrymore Theatre: The (Ethel)
Barrymore theatre is a Broadway theatre located at 243 West 47th street in Midtown–Manhattan, named after actress Ethel Barrymore. The Barrymore
Theatre, designed by Herbert J. Krapp opened on the night of December, 20th, 1928. August Wilson play Joe Turner's come and gone. Opened at
the Ethel Barrymore theatre in New York on March, 26th, 1988. 3.Lloyd Richards: Lloyd Richards was the first black director of the Broadway play,
Raisin in the Sun, in 1959. He helped boost the careers of actors Sidney Poiter and James Earl Jones. He spent 12 years as... Show more content on
Helpwriting.net ...
Caesar is giving this advice to Black Mary. The significance of the advice in relation to the play is; Caesar is a man of color which is supposed to
be a disadvantage, yet he is more successful than other man of color because he made the most of what he had, like selling hoecakes off the back
of a wagon, and cooking them over coal, and when got beans he'd sell them right out the pot. Even when trouble hit and police ran him out of the
corner because he did not have a license, but he did not let that stop him, so he got a license. He did everything he needed to do , to be as successful as
he is now. He did not let the color of his skin hold him back. Caesar himself only has one good eye, which is a disability to people who have two good
eyes but a privilege to people who are blind. The quote is trying to convey the idea that a person that is not capable can gain respect among people that
are less capable than

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