The Journal of American Drama and Theatre 
Special Issue: Milestones in Black Theatre 

Co-Edited by the American Theatre and Drama Society, the Black Theatre Association, and the Black Theatre Network 

Spring 2021 

Call for Submissions 

2021 marks the centennial of Errol Hill’s birth.  A prominent West Indian playwright, performer, and scholar who launched his career in the 1940s, Hill remains one of the giants in the field of theatre history, renowned for his path-breaking work in African American and African diasporic performance.  This special issue, Milestones in Black Theatre, co-edited by the American Theatre and Drama Society, the Black Theatre Association, and the Black Theatre Network, recognizes this crucial marker.  It also acknowledges and interrogates the escalating international protests against white supremacy and ongoing anti-Black violence, as well as the impact of COVID-19, which has disproportionately affected communities of color. 

Hill’s scholarship and creative work paved the way for generations of scholars and artists in the American Theatre and Drama Society, the Black Theatre Association, and the Black Theatre Network.  Whether they ever met Hill, worked with him, or read one of his numerous books and plays, today’s scholars of Black theatre and African diasporic theatre owe him a profound debt. 

Just as Hill disrupted the traditions of the predominantly white field he entered roughly eighty years ago, we invite submissions that dismantle familiar structures, decolonize white performance narratives, highlight genealogies of Black theatre-making and scholarship, and engage with critical milestones in Black performance from the seventeenth-century to the present day.   

As part of marking the “milestones” with ATDS, BTA, and BTN, we invite essays from those wishing to explore different definitions of that concept.  What critical junctures in the field have yet to be marked?  How might we document the ways that Black theatre scholars and artists are remapping the field?  How have you experienced shifts in the profession?  What and whose legacies have we begun to recognize and where does vital work remain to be done?  Have you uncovered a milestone from the past whose impact scholars have yet to realize?  

We are accepting essays of varying lengths and formats for this special issue.  Submissions may range from 800-2500 words.  Authors could choose to reflect on the prompt, “Black theatre is…”  They might elect to write about the challenge of producing scholarship under duress. They could submit manifestos that call for radical re-envisioning of the field or of professional theatre in the United States.  Some authors might explore ways in which Black artists have been able to thrive and not merely survive, despite more than four centuries of systemic racism. 

In inviting shorter pieces, we hope to create opportunities to share the wisdom of many voices from colleagues at all different stages of their careers and to inspire innovations in form that reflect the changing landscapes of Black Theatre practice and scholarship.  

We are committed to supporting the scholarship, mentoring, and promotion of members across all levels of their careers, and to recognizing those whose work has influenced, shaped, guided, and interrogated the study of theatre and drama in and of the Americas, its varied histories, traditions, literatures, and performances. 

Membership in ATDS, BTA, or BTN is not required for submission of an article, but submissions from members are especially encouraged.  

Please direct submissions and questions to the editorial team atJADTMilestones@gmail.com.  The deadline for submissions is December 1, 2020.