Abstract
[...]the New Negro era saw the first large-scale movement organized by this new generation of literary griots to maintain their traditions while affecting the larger public sphere.5 These writers formed the first generation of literary griots in the Americas. [...]he admits to hearing music in his head and both he and Eila, who enters the stage with the sound of Jazz/ Mellow Rhythm and Blues, are surrounded with their own music (17).19 They both offer rich performances that embrace a wide array of musical styles that span the twentieth and twenty-first centuries. [...]even if Act I Scene 2 tackles heavy topics like lynching, rape, and abuse, it does so to shed light on the untold stories of thousands of Black women who had to fight to stay alive and keep their dignity, particularly in turbulent times like the Civil Rights Era. [...]in their article on "Making Reading and Writing Connections with Shay Youngblood's Big Mama's Stories," Mary Deming and Maria Valeri-Gold have referred to her as a literary "Big Mama" who has provided guidance and encouragement thanks to her stories (40).