The Enduring Beauty of Black Art

And the ugly persistence of its cost

Sep 11, 2025

Raven Wilkinson was the first Black American ballerina to dance for a major classical ballet company, Ballet Russe de Monte Carlo. In 1957, prior to a performance in Montgomery, Alabama, two klansmen stormed a rehearsal, demanding to know, “Where is the Black woman?” The company kept Raven safe and the klansmen eventually fled.

Black American art is admired around the world, but the cost to the artist is often ignored. Here are some quick facts about some Black American artistic luminaries and some stunning performances they gave despite literal battles with white supremacy.

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Sister Rosetta Tharpe

Long before the tour bus was a status symbol for musicians, Sister Rosetta Tharpe bought one because segregation barred her from hotels in the towns where she performed.

Despite that, Sister Rosetta Tharpe could do this:

Paul Robeson

In late August of 1949, Paul Robeson was scheduled to perform at Lakeland Acres meadow, just outside Peekskill, New York. Racists and fascists rioted to stop the concert, but only succeeded in postponing it until September 4th.

From Jacobin:

“That day, the concert went ahead. A racially integrated audience of at least fifteen thousand social democrats, communists, socialists, and music lovers attended. More than a thousand rank-and-file union members, left-wing veterans, and volunteer ‘people’s guards’ formed a human chain to protect the show — but the Peekskill ‘fascists’ were waiting for attendees after the concert ended.

With the help of police, the counter-protesters maimed more than a hundred concertgoers. The violence extended back into the city. By many accounts, the riot followed buses returning home, and reactionaries threw rocks through windows ‘clear down to 210th Street and Broadway.’”

Despite that, Paul Robeson coul do this:

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Nat “King” Cole

On April 10, 1956 Nat “King” Cole was scheduled for two performances in Birmingham, Alabama: the first for an all-white audience, the second for an all-Black audience. During his first performance, six white men charged the stage and attacked him. The police stopped the attempted murder, capturing three of the would-be assassins. Nat returned to the stage, explaining to the audience, "I just came here to entertain you. That was what I thought you wanted. I was born in Alabama. Those folks hurt my back. I cannot continue, because I need to see a doctor."

The doctor quickly cleared Nat just in time to perform the second show.

Despite that—and being known now primarily for his singing—Nat “King” Cole could this: