Bob Cole and J. Rosamond Johnson Bring Black Musical Theatre to Broadway

Bob Cole and J. Rosamond Johnson (brother of James Weldon Johnson) formed one of the most successful Black songwriting and performing teams of the era, producing Broadway shows and popular songs that reached mainstream white audiences. Their act "Cole and Johnson" broke ground in presenting Black performers with dignity and sophistication rather than in minstrel caricature. Their work helped shift the representation of Black Americans in American popular entertainment.