1921 – Shuffle Along Debuts on Broadway

On May 21, 1921, Shuffle Along, one of the first major Broadway musicals written, produced, and performed by African Americans, opened at the 63rd Street Music Hall in New York City. Created by Noble Sissle, Eubie Blake, Flournoy Miller, and Aubrey Lyles, the show was groundbreaking, blending jazz rhythms with sophisticated choreography and offering a new image of Black life. Despite initial financial and racial barriers, Shuffle Along was a massive success and ran for over 500 performances. It helped launch the careers of future stars like Josephine Baker and Paul Robeson, and it directly influenced the Harlem Renaissance by proving Black theatrical productions could be commercially viable and artistically innovative. More than just entertainment, the musical disrupted stereotypes and redefined Black representation in American theater. Its legacy lives on as a critical moment when Black artistry broke through the mainstream cultural ceiling on Broadway.