Broadway in Black and White

A unique history of the influence of African American culture on our beloved Broadway tradition.

From Show Boat to The Wiz, The Lion King, and Ragtime, everyone recognizes the “Broadway sound.” But what’s less known is how Black artists, collaborating with white creatives, pioneered the very essence of this uniquely American art form. In Broadway in Black and White, John Mauceri, a renowned conductor and music scholar, and John McWhorter, a celebrated linguist and New York Times columnist, bring their wide-ranging expertise to reveal Broadway’s culturally hybrid roots. Featuring intimate portraits of stars such as Ethel Waters, Paul Robeson, and Pearl Bailey, Mauceri and McWhorter explore the interrelationship between Black and white writers, musicians, actors, and producers throughout Broadway’s history. From Shuffle Along to Hamilton, Broadway in Black and White illustrates how culturally diverse artists created a politically active art form with the goal of fulfilling America’s foundational ideal that all people are created equal.