The Rediscovery of George Nash Walker

<p><b>The first biography of George Walker a uniquely Afro-American tale of innovation and triumph despite the odds; the story of an underdog with a bite!</b></p><p><i>The Rediscovery of George Nash Walker</i> is the first biography dedicated to the life and cultural contributions of this actor writer and producer who revolutionized Black American theatre during the early twentieth century. In 1892 Walker left his hometown with a medicine show and quickly formed a partnership with comedian Bert Williams that would last nearly eighteen years. Under the moniker of The Two Real Coons Williams and Walker used their comedy to erode the stereotyped White image of minstrel-style cooning. Their theatrical company produced many popular plays including <i>Clorindy/A Lucky Coon</i> (1899-1900) <i>Policy Players</i> (1900-1901) <i>Sons of Ham</i> (1901-1902) <i>In Dahomey</i> (1902-1905) <i>Abyssinia</i> (1905-1906) <i>Bandanna Land</i> (1907-1909) and <i>Mr. Lode of Koal</i> (1909-1910) even performing on Broadway and abroad. An activist at heart Walker insisted that audiences receive carefully curated Black entertainment told from a uniquely Afro-American perspective. Unfortunately Walker contracted syphilis and was forced to retire in 1909 marking the end of the first golden age of Black theatre. Despite his landmark contributions Walker's story has been largely forgotten. Drawing on archival resources newspaper accounts memoirs oral histories and manifestos written by Walker this book celebrates the accomplishments of the vanguard generation of Black artists who were active between the close of the Civil War and the start of World War I.</p>