Dr. Jonathan Shandell, associate professor and co-director of Theater Arts, was interviewed recently by Current, an online journal of commentary and opinion on contemporary ideas, culture, and politics. Shandell spoke about his book, “Readying the Revolution: African American Theater and Performance from Post-World War II to the Black Arts Movement.”

In the book, which is sequel to his previous work, “The American Negro Theatre and the Long Civil Rights Era,” Shandell argues that African American artists navigating the post-World War II/pre-Black Arts period were more radical politically than commonly understood to be. In the Q&A, Shandell addresses how he became a historian, why people should read this book, what he’s working on next, and more. 

The full interview can be found here.