Ma Rainey's Black Bottom

Use these questions or activities to help gauge students’ familiarity with and spark their interest in the context of the work, giving them an entry point into the text itself.

Short Answer

In Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom, Ma says, “You sing [the blues] ‘cause that’s a way of understanding life.” What are some other popular genres of music that have helped audiences think about life? How do these genres help them understand life or see it in a new way?

Teaching Suggestion: Encourage students to include excerpts of song lyrics in written answers or to play excerpts of songs during discussion.

• “The Painful Birth of Blues and Jazz” by Stephanie Hall explains the origin of blues and jazz.
• “What Is the Blues?” focuses on the origin of blues.

Short Activity

Listen to “Crazy Blues” as sung by Mamie Smith, with lyrics provided here. As you listen, respond to the music and lyrics in the form of drawing, journal writing, or narrative writing (by personifying the blues in a first-person monologue).

Teaching Suggestion: If needed, provide students with an entry point into creative writing with a prompt, such as, “That’s right, call me Blues, but I ain’t no sky blue, no robin’s egg blue, no baby blue. I am ...”

• “’She’s the First Black Superstar’: The Forgotten History of Blues Trailblazer Mamie Smith” by Charles Trepany discusses the legacy of Mamie Smith.
• “Mamie Smith and the Birth of the Blues Market” focuses on the economics of the blues.

Differentiation Suggestion: Kinesthetic learners may mold clay or create a rhythm using feet or hands in response to the music.

Personal Connection Prompt

This prompt can be used for in-class discussion, exploratory free-writing, or reflection homework before reading the play.

August Wilson’s Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom is a fictional account of the life of Gertrude Pridgett Rainey. In addition to her voice, Ma Rainey was known for her gold teeth, flashy jewelry, and unique clothing.

In theater, costuming is a primary method of characterization, giving playwrights like August Wilson an opportunity to reveal aspects of their characters’ identities and personalities. Create a fashion sketch that illustrates the “real” you by incorporating details that represent your identity. Consult internet sources for ideas and inspiration if needed.

Teaching Suggestion: Consider staging a fashion sketch gallery for students to present their drawings. Lead a discussion to allow students to share their work, explain the details they chose to include, and discuss what clothing choices might reveal about people.

• “Gertrude ‘Ma’ Rainey in Newspapers” by Amber Paranick provides the biography of the original Ma Rainey.

Differentiation Suggestion: Students who may struggle with art or sketching may cut images from fashion magazines or use a collection of digital images to create their fashion sketches.