This article describes Black stage manager and producer, Shirley Graham, attending Vassar theater summer classes. It states that she is the only Black student or “race student” attending Vassar. Despite Vassar promising to integrate in 1935, two years later there was little progress in diversifying the institution. Shirley Graham was only attending summer courses and was not a full-time student.
Full Article
Shirley Graham Attends Vassar
The Chicago Defender (National edition) (1921-1967);
Jul 24, 1937;
ProQuest Historical Newspapers: Chicago Defender
pg. 10
NEW YORK, July 23—Miss Shirley Graham, manager and producer of the WPA Race theatre in Chicago, Ill., arrived in New York and attended the Monday evening performances of “The Case of Philip Lawrence” at the Lafayette theatre.
The pretty Chicago directress is taking a summer course in the theatre technique at Vassar college in Poughkeepsie. Of the forty directors pursuing this course, Miss Graham is the only Race student.
The popular Chicago theatre Miss achieved fame as directress of “Mississippi Rainbow” unit that ran for sixteen weeks in a loop theatre and later moved to Peoria, Ill., for a short stay. Miss Graham wrote the musical score to “Mississippi Rainbow” and its theme song. She is a graduate of the Oberlin Conservatory of Music and author of the Race opera, “Tom-Tom” presented in Cleveland some time ago.
Shirley Graham Attends Vassar original article (PDF, 16KB)
Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission.