Through Smiles and Tears: The History of African American Theater

Continuing the work from her earlier book, The Secret Messages in African American Theater: Hidden Meanings Embedded in Public Discourse (Edwin Mellen, 2006) this text, Through Smiles and Tears: the History of African American Theater contextualizes West, East and South African performance traditions of old that contributed to the formation of African American performance traditions. From the development of musical instruments, to the creation of song styles and cadence, to the playful comic parody that would serve as modest entertainment for hundreds of thousands of Negroes in the plantation quarters of the south, this text seeks to shed light on the rich history and tradition of African American Theater. Providing a unique analysis into the political economy of African American performance traditions, Williams- Witherspoon's book offers a unique addition to the American Theater canon. This text offers a more in-depth history of African American Theater, its African retentions and its contributions to American Theater and popular culture.