Hits & Bits: P.J. Gibson

The Schomburg Center’s new Centennial program series, Century of Black Theater Making, will explore a century of Black theater through conversations and readings of plays that are part of the Schomburg Center’s collection. Hits & Bits takes its title from a variety show presented by the legendary theater company American Negro Theatre, Hits, Bits & Skits, and is an afternoon series of staged readings of plays found in the Schomburg Center collections.

The second installment of Hits & Bits, produced in collaboration with New Federal Theatre, features three rarely seen one-act plays by the late prolific African American dramatist and educator P.J. Gibson. Gibson is the author of more than 35 full-length plays, and is best known for her 1980s play Long Time Since Yesterday. The P.J. Gibson Memorial Scholarship for Creative writers was established at John Jay College in honor of Gibson.

ABOUT P.J. Gibson

P.J. Gibson (1952-2022) counted Lorraine Hansberry as one of her primary influences as a playwright. Gibson is the author of more than thirty-five full-length plays, and is best known for her 1980s play "Long Time Since Yesterday." Gibson's play "Brown Silk and Magenta Sunsets" was published in the seminal 1986 anthology "9 Plays by Black Women" edited by Margaret B. Wilkserson. Gibson endeavored to create substantial roles for African American women in her plays and crafted complex and intimately told stories about Black women set in historic and modern times. Gibson led playwriting workshops at New Federal Theater and taught at John Jay College of Criminal Justice for many years. The P.J. Gibson Memorial Scholarship for Creative writers was established at John Jay College in honor of Gibson.

In the Collections

Gibson's papers were acquired by the Schomburg Center. Her unpublished and published work can be found in the Negro Ensemble Company Records and the Frank Silvera Writers Workshop Records. Her published plays can be found in the Research & Reference Division.

Accessibility requests can be made by e-mail [email protected].

NEW FEDERAL THEATRE Producing over 400 plays integratIng artists of color and women into the mainstream of American theater, NFT trains artists for the profession, presenting plays by writers of color and women to integrated, multicultural audiences. Learn more about New Federal Theatre by visiting www.newfederaltheatre.com.

This year, the Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture is celebrating the 100th anniversary of its founding! Century of Black Theater Making, curated by Schomburg Center Librarian A.J. Muhammad, will spotlight selected plays from the Schomburg’s rich archives, offering a living connection to the voices, stories, and styles that have shaped Black theater across generations. Join us all year long for a wide array of special events, exhibitions, and more as we celebrate this milestone and continue the legacy of Arturo Schomburg.

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FIRST COME, FIRST SEATED Events are free and open to all, but due to space constraints registration is requested. Registered guests are given priority check-in 15 to 30 minutes before start time. After the event starts all registered seats are released regardless of registration, so we recommend that you arrive early. We generally overbook to ensure a full house.

GUESTS Please note that holding seats in the Langston Hughes Auditorium is strictly prohibited and there is no food or drinks allowed anywhere in the Schomburg Center.

ACCESSIBLILITY Accessibility requests can be made by e-mail [email protected].

E-TRANSPORTATION NYPL policy prohibits electric transportation devices (e.g., motorbikes, e-bikes, e-scooters, e-skateboards) from being brought into or stored at library sites for any length of time, as this is the best way to keep our spaces & people safe.

AUDIO/VIDEO RECORDING Programs are photographed and recorded by the Schomburg Center. Attending this event indicates your consent to being filmed/photographed and your consent to the use of your recorded image for any all purposes of the New York Public Library.

PRESS Please send all press inquiries (photo, video, interviews, audio-recording, etc) at least 24-hours before the day of the program to Leah Drayton at [email protected].

Please note that personal and professional video recordings are prohibited without expressed consent.

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Host or Publisher Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture