Before ‘The Wiz’ and ‘Dreamgirls,’ there was ‘Shuffle Along’

Cultural historian Caseen Gaines dives into one of the most momentous stage productions in the history of Black theater in “Footnotes: The Black Artists Who Rewrote the Rules of the Great White Way.” The 1921 Broadway musical “Shuffle Along” told the satirical story of a small-town mayoral race, but more important than its plot was the fact that it boasted an all-Black cast, and its music, script, and song lyrics were written by Black artists.

Mr. Gaines’ book argues that “Shuffle Along” presented a far richer and subtler vision of Black life than any other Broadway production before