Arcadia University Co-Director of Theater Arts and Associate Professor Dr. Jonathan Shandell’s forthcoming book, “Readying the Revolution: African American Theater and Performance from Post-World War II to the Black Arts Movement” was selected for BroadwayWorld’s 19 Theater Books for Your Winter 2025 Reading List.

“Readying the Revolution,” which will be released on Jan. 14 by the University of Michigan Press, delves into the transformative period of Black culture between the end of World War II and the beginning of the Black Arts Movement (1946-1964). In the book, Shandell explores the artistic and political contributions of key figures such as Lorraine Hansberry, Jackie Robinson, Nina Simone, Ossie Davis, and many more, highlighting their roles in shaping the Black Arts Movement of the mid-1960s.

Through archival research and performance analysis, Shandell uncovers how these artists laid the groundwork for radical Black aesthetics and challenged cultural norms, paving the way for the revolutionary shift in Black theater in the mid-1960s.

“This is my third major peer-reviewed book publication and is the culmination of many years of research and writing,” he explained. “The project continues my ongoing scholarly work as a theater historian in discovering how American artists used the stage as a tool in the fight for racial justice across the early to mid-20th century. A significant amount of the book was developed during a year-long sabbatical that I took in the 2022-23 academic year, and I am grateful for all the support that Arcadia provides for my scholarly work.”

Learn more about “Readying the Revolution” here.