The sandbox and the death of bessie smith albee, edward on. The myth was amplified in 1959 when edward albee wrote a oneact play titled the death of bessie smith, which is set in the white hospital where she was supposed to have been taken. The truth about bessie smiths tragic death richard. The bessie smith ambulance would not have gone to a white hospital, you can forget that. Smith had been killed a few days before when the old packard she was driving hit a parked truck near coahoma, mississippi. Bessie smith was born in chattanooga, tennessee on april 15, 1894. She died on september 26, 1937, but even now the circumstances are shrouded in rumor and suspicion. The death of bessie smith is a oneact play by american playwright edward albee, written in 1959 and premiered in west berlin the following year.
He won the pulitzer prize three times for a delicate balance in 1966, seascape in 1975, and three tall women in 1991. Frank dobie was a member of the faculty at the university of texas off and on from 1914 until his dismissal in 1947. Smith of silver spring, maryland peacefully passed into the glory of heaven. The death of bessie smith project gutenberg selfpublishing. The death of bessie smith, fam and yam acting edition for theater productions by edward albee oct 1, 1962. The film is directed by dee rees, with a screenplay by rees, christopher cleveland and bettina gilois. Jazz and blues vocalist bessie smiths powerful, soulful voice won her. Thirtyfive years after smiths death, author chris albertson finally dispelled the rumor. Home home blog updates the truth about bessie smiths tragic death february, 2018 richard blues music, history, racism 1 comments j. The circumstances of smiths death and the rumor promoted by hammond formed the basis for edward albees 1959 oneact play the death of bessie smith. Initially a dancer, she was encouraged to sing by ma rainey, in whose travelling show she worked. There have been many other murders that are almost the exact same crime scene. Why had john not told me this when he knew that i was researching bessies death.
The death of bessie smith follows conversations between the staff at a whitesonly hospital on the day black blues singer. Coahoma, coahoma county, ms, september 15, 2007 coahoma, 61. The death of bessie smith, the sandbox, the american dream author. Perfect for acing essays, tests, and quizzes, as well as for writing lesson plans. However, formatting rules can vary widely between applications and fields of interest or study. He wrote about 30 plays during his lifetime including the sandbox, the american dream, the death of bessie smith, all over, and the play about the baby. Bessie smith biography, birth date, birth place and pictures. John hammond, one of bessies producers at okeh records, wrote an article soon after bessies death that furthered this version of events. Death of bessie smith, the sandbox, and the american dream.
The definitive biography of bessie smith, the great singer known as the empress of the blues considered by many to be the greatest blues singer of all time. Bessie smith began to sing at a young age and in 1923 signed a contract with columbia records. The rumor says that she bled to death at the scene or on the way to a hospital in clarksdale, ms. The death of bessie smith with fam and yam a signet book. From a general summary to chapter summaries to explanations of famous quotes, the sparknotes bessie smith study guide has everything you need to ace quizzes, tests, and essays. When the play the death of bessie smith came out, a rumor began that she was refused treatment from a whitesonly hospital. Smith began singing on stage in 19 in atlanta and by 1920 she was a star, regularly touring the south playing for black audiences, her main constituency. The death of bessie smith is a oneact play by american playwright edward albee, written in. Three plays by edward albee acting edition three plays by edward albee. She was inducted into the blues hall of fame in its inaugural class 1980, and she was inducted into the rock and roll hall of fame in 1989.
Bessie smith was born into poverty in chattanooga, tennessee, one of seven children of william and laura smith. Aug 08, 2019 bessie smith at the crossroads clarksdale, miss. Bessie smith has long been considered a symbol of the racism of the south, since the legend surrounding her untimely death in 1937 in a car accident claims that bessie died because she was turned away from a white hospital rather than because of the severity of her injuries. Discover delightful childrens books with prime book box, a subscription that. Feb 26, 2020 bessie smith songs downhearted blues by the early 1920s, smith had settled down and was living in philadelphia, and in 1923 she met and married a man named jack gee. Download the plays the zoo story the death of bessie smith the sandbox the american dream or read online books in pdf, epub, tuebl, and mobi format. The bessie smith ambulance would not have gone to a white hospital. The death of bessie smith, his pissedoff oneact of southernstyle racism and sexism, holds up well, too. When the book is scrutinized, people will find it invalid, said leah goldberg scheuerman, whose mother, bessie goldberg, was strangled in her living room on the day mr. The death of bessie smith, the sandbox, the american dream. Before becoming a fulltime writer, she worked as an editor for cambridge university press 196062, as lecturer in english at bishops stortford training college 19636, as assistant lecturer in english literature at the university of essex 196770, and as. The death of bessie smith is a powerful drama that bares the ugly and shameful circumstances surrounding the tragic death of a great negro blues singer. And her death probably could have been prevented if.
A murder victims daughter disputes sebastian junger book. Three plays by edward albee and millions of other books are available for. Bessie smith, american singer, one of the greatest blues vocalists. Her comeback and life were cut short when she died on september 26, 1937. This paper is an interpretation of albees drama the death of bessie smith, with an. She began to sing at a young age and in 1923 signed a contract with columbia records. The rumor changes from source to source but truth remains that she died in the ambulance on her way to an allblack hospital. The circumstances of smith s death and the rumor promoted by hammond formed the basis for edward albees 1959 oneact play the death of bessie smith. Other articles where the death of bessie smith is discussed. Feb 01, 1985 elaine feinstein was educated at newnham college, cambridge and has been awarded an honorary doctorate from the university of leicester. Click download or read online button to get the plays the zoo story the death of bessie smith the sandbox the american dream book now. It was adapted into a film starring richard burton and elizabeth taylor in 1966.
In fact, this version of the bessie smith story was immortalized in edward albees famous play, the death of bessie smith. The musics pioneer chroniclers were unquestionably dedicated to the subject, but they often skipped the tedious task of conducting research, and simply perpetuated whatever sounded interesting to. This site is like a library, use search box in the widget to. Legendary blues singer bessie smith is buried near philadelphia, pennsylvania, on october 4, 1937.
Edward albee published on april, 20 only 1 left in stock order soon. The death of bessie smith was introduced to new york last night at the york. She toured regularly throughout the 1920s, particularly in vaudeville, often with jazz greats such as louis armstrong, fletcher smack. Jan 09, 2012 bessie smith was born in chattanooga, tennessee on april 15, 1894. This can be traced to one man, john hammond, and his decision to lie for a good cause. The death of bessie smith, the sandbox, the american dream by. Sep 25, 2014 provided to youtube by the orchard enterprises death of bessie smith walter davis with booker t. Around 1929, blues of the variety performed by singers like smith and ma rainey began to fade in popularity. Bessie smith by elaine feinstein goodreads share book. Search for library items search for lists search for contacts search for a library. Jan 01, 20 this new collection features three acclaimed oneact plays from edward albees early years. The driver reveals that his woman friend was the legendary blues singer bessie smith.
Bessie smith biography life, children, death, mother. She pleads for the judge to give her the death penalty, openly. Other elements, however, contributed to smith s difficult years. The play consists of a series of conversations between bernie and his friend jack, jack and an offstage bessie, and black and white staff of a whitesonly hospital in memphis, tennessee on the death date of the famous blues singer, bessie smith, who.
A summary of the death of bessie smith in s bessie smith. The myth originated in a 1937 down beat story written by john hammond and was perpetuated by edward albees 1960 play, the death of bessie smith. Preceded in death by her beloved husband, hugh smith and brothers, alex and henry. Fam and yam an imaginary interview is a one scene interview between a famous american playwright and a young american playwright. The american dream, the sandbox, the death of bessie smith, fam and yam acting edition for theater productions by edward albee oct 1, 1962 2. Other readers will always be interested in your opinion of the books youve read. The truth about bessie smiths tragic death richard pennington.
As a result, bessie smith has often been heralded as a martyr to the racism of the american south. The death of bessie smith early recounting of jazz history is a weave of truth and conjectures. The story follows a troubled man, roy smith, whom is being tried for the murder of bessie goldberg. The final play here a droll interview between playwrights, fam and yam is way too selfamused. With the initial productions of the death of bessie smith, the sandbox, and the american dream, albee consolidated his reputation as a brilliant new talent of the new york theater scene.
Learn exactly what happened in this chapter, scene, or section of bessie smith and what it means. She would go on to be arguably one of the greatest voices in the blues, and was even known as the empress of the blues. A death in belmont, was intriguing with lots of drama and crime. The play takes the form of dialogues between two black men and an offstage presence of bessie and with the white hospital staff, among others. I didnt know much about bessie smith except that she was a famous blues singer, but playwright angelo parra candidly and vividly exposes every demon smith dealt with during her life. The death of bessie smith the sandbox the american dream the death of bessie smith a play in eight scenes for ned rorem first performance april 21, 1960, berlin, germany. The book even passed the acid test when i handed it off to my sister who, although never having heard a bessie smith song, loved it. Because, he explained in his book, the man asked not to. This blues song sung by bessie smith in 1928 depicts a woman who kills her good man and appears before a judge. Pages can include considerable notesin pen or highlighterbut the notes cannot obscure the text.
The play consists of a series of conversations between bernie and his friend jack, jack and an offstage bessie, and black and white staff of a whitesonly hospital in memphis, tennessee on the death date of the famous blues singer, bessie smith. Bessie smith the complete guide this is a wikipedia book, a collection of wikipedia articles that can be easily saved, imported by an external electronic rendering service, and ordered as a printed book. Whether youve loved the book or not, if you give your honest and detailed thoughts then people will find new books that are right for them. The death of bessie smith memphis, tennessee, 1937, a time when the souths aristocracy is crumbling amidst the deeply racist views of its citizens. This new collection features three acclaimed oneact plays from edward albees early years. Bessie smith, the wonderfully earthy blues singer who died in 1937 and whose. Kay prefers to side with writers like edward albee, whose play the death of bessie smith helped promulgate the myth, because even if it didnt happen that way, it could have. At a white hospital a nurse belittles a black orderly, a polite young man eager to improve himself, and is severely condescending to an intern, a white man, who is seemingly in love with her. The american dream, the sandbox, the death of bessie smith, fam and yam acting edition for theater productions.
Blues singer bessie smith, killed in mississippi car wreck. In 1959, playwright edward albee wrote a play called the death of bessie smith. In 1936, smith appeared in place of a sick billie holiday at a jazz club in new york called. It is true that smith died after a car accident on mississippis highway 61 near clarksdale. Bessie smith april 15, 1894 september 26, 1937 was an early american blues singer born in chattanooga, tennessee. Bessie smith s career took a downturn in 1929 thanks to the stock market crash, when the recordbuying public no longer had enough money to purchase records. And her death probably could have been prevented if she had received. Known as the empress of the blues, she was a bold, supremely confident artist who sang with breathtaking emotional intensity on such songs as down hearted blues, empty bed blues, and nobody knows you when youre down and out. A film loosely based on the book aired in 2015, with queen latifah who. That is our topicnamely, bessie smith, one of the greatest blues practitioners from the early days.
In 1962, his broadway debut, whos afraid of virginia woolf. Her father died soon after her birth and her mother and two of her brothers died by the time she was eight or nine. The nurse admits she had heard of bessie, but it seems her anger at the futile rescue by the intern is the only emotion she feels. Albee had been so moved and so outraged by smiths death that hed written a play recreating the night of smiths death. As a young black girl growing up in glasgow, jackie kay found in bessie. The death of bessie smith play by albee britannica. Mar 04, 2012 bessie smith is said to have died, after an automobile crash, at a local hospital in clarksdale, mississippi. A persistent rumor later developed that smith bled to death because a white hospital refused to admit her.