Deneen R McReynolds

Harlem 29 Deneen R McReynolds

Deneen R. McReynolds was metaphorically raised in the New York City Theater. She and her sisters would occasionally accompany their father to the Metropolitan Opera House where he and her grandfather worked as stagehands. Her close relationship with her grandfather introduced her to Vaudeville, Jazz and the Minstrel Theater at an early age. The pride he exhibited in his work, along with the racially charged genre of minstrelsy and its adaptation of "Blackface" in Lew Leslie's Blackbirds intrigued and puzzled her at the same time. This set her on a journey of discovery into the unveiling of her grandfather's career as a trailblazer in the entrainment industry. He was primarily responsible for the creation of the "Negro Stagehands Union" within the "Stagehands Union," and he faced innumerable challenges until all Negro stagehands formerly restricted to working Uptown and in Harlem prevailed. Deneen's grandfather was one of our heroes omitted from written accounts about African-American people who were "the first" to do something extraordinary -- until now! This is about his vision, his courage, and his victory! "Harlem 29 is a family memoir plus a historical narrative of Black heritage and arts culture during the Harlem Renaissance and beyond. Deneen McReynolds' self-discovery leads us through the personal journey of her grandfather, Marchand H. McReynolds, while he educates us on those Black performers onstage and stagehands in the wings of theater. Her storytelling is a powerful exploration about their fight to gain equality, justice and respect for all." Carolyn M. Brown, award-winning journalist, author and playwright.