Histoire de nègre (Tale of Black Histories) is a 1971 play created by Édouard Glissant and the members of an activist theatre group he formed at the Institut Martiniquais d’Études (Institute for Martinican Studies). Together, they collated excerpts from important works of postcolonial literature and primary historical documents, adding their own improvisations and poetic transitions written by Glissant, to tell a Caribbean-centered history in three parts: slavery, liberation struggles, and neocolonialism. Touring throughout Martinique, they performed their play in public spaces for thousands of working-class spectators. The play is an experiment in telling history through interactive performance and a manifestation of what Glissant called a “prophetic vision of the past.” It remains an enduring indictment of colonialism and a compelling example of popular, consciousness-raising theatre. Our co-authored, with Andrew Daily (University of Memphis), critical edition, Tale of Black Histories presents the first English-language translation of Histoire de nègre, annotates its historical and literary references, documents its performance history, and situates it within intellectual, literary, and theatrical contexts. It includes self-reflexive notes on translation and restaging to equip readers to stage the text.
