1906: A coalition of African American men attempt to stop Thomas Dixon Jr.'s play The Clansman from being performed in Philadelphia. After leading a public protest in front of the Walnut Street Theatre, the whole matter ends up in City Hall, at a hearing before Mayor John Weaver.
There is a blog post on our website, which has additional information and images about the historical characters in this episode! See: "The Learned Professions": https://www.aithpodcast.com/blog/the-learned-professions/
Want to know even more about this story? For instance, about what happened in 1915, when The Clansman came back to Philadelphia as the infamous D.W. Griffith movie The Birth of a Nation? We recorded a special Bonus Episode about this topic, called "The Birthplace of the Nation Meets 'The Birth of a Nation', " - but it's only available on Patreon. Become a supporter of the show, and you can hear it, too! The link is HERE.
For a copy of the Kelly Miller pamphlet "As To the Leopard's Spots," there is a online facsimile copy at the Internet Archive: https://archive.org/details/astoleopardsspot00mill
Music in the episode is by Chris Colucci, except for the underscoring late in the episode, which from the second movement of the Symphony No. 1 in E minor by the composer Florence Price. Performance by the New Black Repertory Ensemble, Leslie B. Dunner, conductor: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9s4yY_A2A2k
Please Note: There is no historical connection or relationship between the management of the Walnut Street Theatre, as it stood in 1906, and the current management of the modern Walnut Street Theatre at the same location.
If you enjoyed the show, PLEASE LEAVE US A REVIEW! You can do it easily, right here - especially if you listen to us ON APPLE PODCASTS! We need some more reviews there:
https://www.aithpodcast.com/reviews/
If you have any questions, inquiries or additional comments, you can write us at our email address: AITHpodcast@gmail.com
Check out all our recent episodes! For an exciting season about Philadelphia's "Theatre History" or its "Theater History" - however you spell it, this is the podcast for you.
Please follow us on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/aithpodcast/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/AITHpodcast
To become a Patron of the podcast: https://www.patreon.com/AITHpodcast
© Podcast text copyright, Peter Schmitz. All rights reserved.
℗ All voice recordings copyright Peter Schmitz.
℗ All original music and compositions within the episodes copyright Christopher Mark Colucci. Used by permission.