Satchell Mary. Ten Contemporary African American One-Act Dramas

The idea for these volumes of one-act scripts came from my many years of experience as a high school English teacher of minority students and Hispanic students taking English as a second language. While teaching these students, I discovered there were few resources in drama which I felt could provide them with role-playing motivational experiences about people and events of particular interest to them. The plays included here were written to be a solution to my instructional needs to fill a void. These short dramas are based on the lives of African and Hispanic Americans who have made significant contributions to this nation, usually in spite of tremendous odds. In creating these plays, I have kept in mind that young people enjoy reading plays aloud, and the appreciation is increased if the content is meaningful to them. Enjoyment of the dramatic experience is the goal here.
I do not believe African American or Hispanic American young people have to be cast rigidly in roles of their actual ethnic heritage in these plays. I found in teaching drama that having students of one ethnic group read or perform roles from other groups adds a new dimension (sometimes humorous, but always giving a new facet). Drama transcends time, place, and condition to speak directly to the heart. In other words, the true essence of art and theatre rises above nationality, religion, politics and ethnicity, and provides an insight into the true character of people. The plays in these volumes are based on historical research, and the primary objective of each script is to enlighten, motivate, encourage, and inspire young people.