The Artistry and Activism of Frances Ellen Watkins Harper

Frances Ellen Watkins Harper was one of the first Black women to see her anti-slavery written works published in the United States. The dramatic choreography of The Artistry and Activism of Frances Ellen Watkins Harper brings to life her poetry, novels, lectures, and enduring legacy in a dance-theatre program that highlights the challenges of her lifetime that are still as relevant today.

The production is directed by Lynnette Young Overby, a professor emerita of theatre and dance at the University of Delaware; and performed by actress Sharia Benn, the Sharing Our Legacy Dance Theatre, and members of the State College-Penn State community.

The program includes:

• Harper’s poems “Blessed Hope,” “Slave Mother,” and “Sketches of a Southern Life”; her novel,  Iola Leroy; a short story, “The Two Offers”; and a lecture, “We are All Bound Up Together”;
• original poems by Glenis Redmond;
• original music by Ralph Russell, David Horton and Vianne Reay; and
• “Every Time I Feel the Spirit,” a song by by Arreon Harley-Emerson.

With this production, held in time for the 200th anniversary of Harper’s free birth on September 24, Overby brings Harper’s legacy to life for a new generation—reclaiming history, honoring resilience, and celebrating artistic activism. The event is part of the Frances E. W. Harper: Looking Back, Moving Forward 1825–2025 symposium hosted by Penn State’s Center for Black Digital Research and the Africana Research Center. Visit Colored Conventions Project for more information about the symposium.

Post-performance discussion

After the performance, the artist will speak with interested audience members.

American Sign Language interpretation

American Sign Language interpretation will be offered for this performance. Contact the Arts Ticket Center at artstix@psu.edu or by calling 814-863‑2727, ext. 3, by Friday, September 6, to discuss ASL seating preferences.