San Antonio College Library

A character named Stepin Fetchit may have opened the Hollywood door for other black actors. But many wished that he had stepped on rather than with Hollywood's stereo typical Uncle Tom image. The lazy, shiftless cowardly Stepin Fetchit played by Lincoln Theodore Monroe Andrew Perry, could be depended on in late 20's and the early 30's to turn white in a graveyard scene or to literally sleep through a romantic scene. However, behind this "shiftless...

On April 5, 1917, Three Plays for a Negro Theater by Ridgely Torrence opened at the Garden Theatre in New York City. This performance was a monumental event in American stage history. Not only was this the first dramatic production to portray African American life beyond the cliche, it was also the first production on Broadway to feature an all-black cast. The morning after the three plays were performed, newspapers were filled with praise for the...

A pictorial history of the Negro in American entertainment.

This is Viola Davis' story, in her own words, and spans her incredible, inspiring life, from her coming-of-age in Rhode Island to her present day. Hers is a story of overcoming, a true hero's journey. "In my book, you will meet a little girl named Viola who ran from her past until she made a life changing decision to stop running forever. This is my story, from a crumbling apartment in Central Falls, Rhode Island, to the stage in New York City, and...