Will Marion Cook

Explore the ground-breaking music of Will Marion Cook. "Clorindy", or "The Origin of the Cake Walk" (1898), broke the color barrier on Broadway and won accolades for Cook and lyricist/poet Paul Laurence Dunbar. "In Dahomey" (1903) was the first production to open in a major Broadway theater that was written and performed entirely by Black Americans. This ran for four years, first on Broadway then two tours in the U.S. and the United Kingdom before returning to New York. These were landmark productions that introduced America and Europe to Black music. Selections include "Darktown Is Out Tonight", "Who Dat", "Molly Green", and "On Emancipation Day".