“From defeat, to comedy, to suspense, and then to triumph… a standing ovation”

-Makeda Viechweg, Harlem Community Newspaper

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American Slavery Project presents the ABC's: Black Women and the Ballot

Review by Makeda Viechweg
Photo Credit: Wesley H. Crump

The American Slavery Project presented the ABC's (African Americans from Bondage through Crow Series): Black Women and the Ballot, three short plays about black women and suffrage at the National Black Theatre in Harlem on Monday April 8.

Producing Artistic Director Judy Tate, took the audience back to the year 1913 during the first short play, "Pulling the Lever" written by Tate herself, about three generations of black women recounting their experiences on attending the voting polls. The line from the play, "there's nothing wrong with letting history move you," set the tone for the evening.

In the second short play, "Don't/Dream", written by Saviana Stanescu, the Jamaican African-American actress Lynnette R. Freeman, who played an undocumented housekeeper, repeated the words "clean sink" throughout her 22 hour shift in a white family's home on voting day, bringing awareness to this form of voter suppression.

After the play Tate invited the audience to share their opinion of the piece. One noticed the blatant voters' suppression in the play, one suggested that these plays be taught in schools, and another picked up on the nuance of foster servitude. Tate also had the audience break off into pairs to talk about "the first time you've voted or any voting experience that you want to share."

Erica Norman reflected on her best voting experience. "I just remember that there was just this long line of black people that snaked its way back four miles in Orange County, Atlanta, Georgia for the five day early voting period. We were all there for Barack Obama and had bible scriptures in our hands just praying and thinking that this could actually happen. It was really an exciting time."

Within the midst of everyone sharing their voting stories, Tate took a moment to acknowledge the diverse group of people that sat before her. "This is the first time where I'm seeing such a diverse crowd, we have our young and old here, different races...I want to thank you all for coming out and your support."

The final play "In the Parlour" is a rendition of what happened when Delta Sigma Theta Sorority founder Edna Brown (Gabrielle C. Archer), President of the Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority Nellie Quander (Celestine Rae), and Mary Church Terrell (Messeret Stroman Wheeler) who helped found the National Association for Colored Women, outsmarted Alice Paul (Montana Lambert Hoover), leader of the women's suffrage movement, into having black women march in the 1913 Women's Suffrage Parade in Washington D.C.

"In the Parlour" written by Judy Tate, had its full share of emotions. From defeat, to comedy, to suspense, and then to triumph, the four women earned themselves a standing ovation.

After the play Judy Tate led a panel discussion with a historian and members of the AKA and Delta sororities to talk about the unity of black women in the play, "In the Parlour" and the importance of sororities and HBCUs.

"Sororities are a lifetime commitment and the alumni is where it starts. In the play women didn't see eye to eye but still came together because of that unity," said AKA sorority President Andrea R. Webster. "It's about that sisterhood...doesn't matter where we are we still have to fight for that right," chimed in Delta Sigma Theta Sister Valencia Yearwood.

Delta Sigma Theta President Rory Mills said, "My takeaway from this play is that disagreement can be positive. This can move us forward."

Tate revealed that the play, "In the Parlour" came from a question that many ask when recounting historical events. "This play came out of the question: 'Where are the black women?' I mean we had to have been there. I went down the rabbit hole, researched and put this together and I believe this is very close to what happened. The timeline is real I just gave it humanity," said Tate.

The American Slavery Project is a theatrical response to revisionism in American discourse around enslavement and its aftermath through theatre, readings and developmental workshops. Visit www.americanslaveryproject.org for more information.