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May 7, 2025 56 mins

In 1920, Emperor Jones was a bona fide Broadway hit. The controversial play’s lead is Charles Gilpin, the first Black man to head up an integrated cast on the Great White Way. Gilpin enjoys fame, accolades, and universal acclaim…but he does have a note for his playwright Eugene O’Neil. A note that will make and break careers and change the course of Black history!

To learn more about the show and keep in touch, check out https://ourancestorsweremessy.com

To access bonus content and support this independent production visit  https://ourancestorsweremessy.supercast.com

To stay in touch email ouranestorsweremessy@gmail.com or follow the show @ourancestorsweremessy on Instagram

THE A-TEAM
The show is hosted by Nichole Hill (https://www.nicholelhill.com/). This week's guest are Chioke I'Anson and his daughter Amaya Zahar.
Executive Producer A.A. Hernandez
Sound design by Nichole Hill
Story Producer Martina Abrahams Ilunga (@m_tina)
Research Producer Chioke I'Anson (https://www.chiokeianson.com/)
Story Editing by Shonte Hill
Show art by Aseloka Smith (@naturallyherown)  

 

SOURCES

  1. The Emperor Jones by Eugene O'Neil 
  2. Preserving African-American Cinema: The Case of The Emperor Jones by Jennie Saxena with contributions from Ken Weissman and James Cozart
  3. "The Truth About Haiti: An NAACP Investigation" by James Weldon Johnson
  4. Charles Gilpin. The Kennedy Center
  5. Jackson Ward and its Black Wall Street. National Park Service
  6. Beyond Tulsa: The Historic Legacies and Overlooked Stories of America's Black Wall Streets. Time Magazine
  7. The Richmond Planet is digitized and stored at The Library of Congress. 



     

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