Dancing Down the Barricades

Name: Dancing Down the Barricades
Brand: Unknown
SKU: 9780520391802
Price: 56.99 NZD
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Sammy Davis Jr. and the Long Civil Rights Era

By Matthew Frye Jacobson

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Summary

Dancing Down the Barricades by Matthew Frye Jacobson explores the intersections of art and activism as seen through the life of the iconic American dancer and writer, Pearl Primus. Set against the backdrop of mid-20th century cultural and political upheavals, the narrative delves into Primus's efforts to challenge racial boundaries and promote social justice through her groundbreaking work in dance. The book combines vivid history and insightful analysis, illuminating the struggle for equality and the power of performance as a tool for change.
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Format: Hardback

$56⁹⁹

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Dancing Down the Barricades

$56⁹⁹

Book Hero Magic created this recommendation. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! IS THIS YOUR NEXT READ?

If you are intrigued by the vibrant interplay between cultural movements and political activism, especially in the context of history and social justice, this book offers an insightful exploration. Its examination of how artistic expression can influence and intertwine with societal change might appeal to those passionate about civil rights, political history, and the power of performance.

Dancing Down the Barricades

Description

A deep dive into racial politics, Hollywood, and Black cultural struggles for liberation as reflected in the extraordinary life and times of Sammy Davis Jr.

Through the lens of Sammy Davis Jr.'s six-decade career in show business—from vaudeville to Vegas to Broadway, Hollywood, and network TV—Dancing Down the Barricades examines the workings of race in American culture. The title phrase holds two contradictory meanings regarding Davis's cultural politics: Did he dance the barricades down, as he liked to think, or did he simply dance down them, as his more radical critics would have it?

Davis was at once a pioneering, barrier-busting, anti–Jim Crow activist and someone who was widely associated with accommodationism and wannabe whiteness. Historian Matthew Frye Jacobson attends to both threads, analyzing how industry norms, productions, scripts, roles, and audience expectations and responses were all framed by race against the backdrop of a changing America. In the spirit of better understanding Davis's life and career, Dancing Down the Barricades examines the complexities of his constraints, freedoms, and choices for what they reveal about Black history and American political culture.

Book Hero Magic summarised reviews for this book. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! HOW HAS THIS BEEN REVIEWED?

Matthew Frye Jacobson's work offers a nuanced exploration of Sammy Davis Jr.'s life, set against the backdrop of American race, culture, and politics. The book is noted for its subtle and insightful commentary on racial divides, providing a scholarly yet accessible narrative. It paints a detailed portrait of Davis, balancing his civil rights passion with his complex public persona. This cultural history examines Davis's career through various artistic and political lenses, offering a recommendation for its incisive and layered approach.

Book Details

INFORMATION

ISBN: 9780520391802

Publisher: University of California Press

Format: Hardback

Date Published: 07 February 2023

Country: United States

Imprint: University of California Press

Illustration: 20 b-w images

Audience: Professional and scholarly

DIMENSIONS

Spine width: 30.0mm

Width: 152.0mm

Height: 229.0mm

Weight: 590g

Pages: 344

Collections

American & Canadian History Education & Reference History & Military Matthew Frye Jacobson Non-Fiction

About the Author

Author of seven books on race and US political culture, Matthew Frye Jacobson is Sterling Professor of American Studies and History at Yale University.