by To begin the year, we gathered together to meditate on the life and work of Shirley Graham Du Bois, dramatist, composer, writer, and political activist who took the world by storm as the first African American woman to compose and stage an opera. The gathering featured renowned scholars in African American women’s intellectual history to consider her scholarly work and revisit her librettos, plays, novels, and letters. Larger than life, Shirley Graham Du Bois channeled an energy of unparalleled ambition and creative genius. We merely touched the surface with a breathtaking performance of her work, the launch of a interactive digital book (featured in the projects section of this site) and an exhibit of her life and work.
