Porgy and Bess, A Black Archival Journey

In 1935, the English-language opera Porgy and Bess brought Black performers and stories center stage in the United States. The creation, performance, and legacy of the opera offers space to explore the ways American theater has represented Black life and culture—and critically reexamine the opera’s authorship. Operas like this one can help unpack us the complex, diverse, and powerful stories of the U.S. as the nation commemorates 250 years since its founding.

In this session, Dr. Daphne A. Brooks will lead participants through a Black archival journey into Porgy and Bess, drawing on materials from collections including The New York Public Library, the South Carolina Historical Society, Yale University, and the Library of Congress.

Participants will encounter scripts, performance materials, and other archival documents linked to Porgy and Bess and its productions across time. Educators will reflect on questions about collective narratives and the role of Black artistry in shaping how history and culture are understood.

Featured Scholar

Dr. Daphne A. Brooks is the William R. Kenan, Jr., Professor of Black Studies, American Studies, Women’s, Gender, and Sexuality Studies, and Music at Yale University. Her interdisciplinary scholarship explores Black performance, music, literature, theater, and cultural history, with particular attention to the ways Black expressive cultures are documented, remembered, and interpreted. Her work brings together Black Studies, performance studies, feminist theory, and music history.

A Taste of the 2026 Educator Summer Residency

For the first time, we are reprising sessions from the 2026 Educator Summer Residency! As part of the Library’s celebration  of 250 years since the signing of the Declaration of Independence, we continue the conversation about nation building and founding narratives.  This unique opportunity invites you to get a taste of the Residency and experience one of its word class scholarship sessions.

Eligible NYS educators can earn 1.5 CTLE credit hours for their participation. To receive CTLE credit, participants must attend the full program and complete the required evaluation.

Presented by the Center for Educators and Schools at The New York Public Library.

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