When Broadway Was Black – Celebrating the Legacy of Shuffle Along

Before Hamilton, Dreamgirls, The Wiz, and Porgy and Bess, there was Shuffle Along, the 1921 Broadway sensation featuring an all-Black cast and creative team that paved the way for actors of color on stage. Caseen Gaines, pop culture historian and author of When Broadway Was Black, will be joined by author and Columbia University linguist John McWhorter, who called Shuffle Along “The Black Musical That May Have Inspired Gershwin” in a recent New York Times op-ed, for a conversation about the lasting legacy of the the show and why it underscores the importance of diverse creators living in their authentic truth and sharing stories they want to tell today.

Guests who attend the book signing have the option to buy a ticket to the museum in advance separately. Copies of When Broadway Was Black will also be available for purchase at the event.