Georgia Douglas Johnson was a brilliant poet and playwright; however, her work has not received the same praise as her male counterparts of the early 20th century. Johnson wrote during the Harlem Renaissance when there was an explosion of black artists creating works across all mediums. The movement was primarily dominated by men, and the depiction of female relationships and emotions did not get the same recognition. The Susquehanna Theatre Department is working to remedy this with performances of two of Johnson’s works: Plumes and Blue Blood, February 24th – 26th.
While these plays are set in different time periods (Plumes – post American Civil War, Blue Blood – early 20th century), they both portray the pressures of black motherhood in their respective eras. This portrayal was novel in Johnson’s time, as she was the only playwright wanting to showcase the impact of motherhood on black women.
During her career, Johnson mastered the form of a “one-act” play, which is on display in these two works. Plumes and Blue Blood were both written as submissions into playwriting contests sponsored by the NAACP and were required to be in short form. For the record, Blue Blood was an honorable mention in 1926, and Plumes won first place in 1927.
If you’d like to learn more about Georgia Douglas Johnson, check out several of the library’s resources on her and her work. If you want to see her brilliant work in action, go to the Degenstein Theatre February 24th/25th at 7:30, or February 26th at 2:30.
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