Alice Childress’ Florence and the Role of Women in Theater

الملخص

The present paper discusses the marginalization of Black women in American theater employing Alice Childress’s Florence (1949). The play is a strong statement against existing stereotypes, and it restores some power to its Black female characters, transforming them into active resistors instead of passive victims. The aim of this study is to analyze how the character of Mama, who is a working-class Black mother, is used to address structural injustice and internalized oppression. The present study is based on intersectional feminist theory and takes into account the socio-political background of the creation and interpretation of the play. In addition, it will show how Florence reflects intersectional feminist meanings. This study will add to the discussion of race and gender dealt with by many Black female playwrights, including Childress.