Civil Rights Essay

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
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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
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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
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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

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

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 more content on Helpwriting.net
...
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).

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
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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

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 American drama. 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

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

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

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

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

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

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 by white 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

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 was Wilson 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

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

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 ...
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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

`` 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

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 the play, 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
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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

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

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. ...
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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

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

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
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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

August Wilson’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 submitted Ma 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 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 content on Helpwriting.net ...
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

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

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 more content on Helpwriting.net
...
. . 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

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

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