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Selma Burke

Written by Arts Commons | Jan 18, 2024 8:19:18 PM

The true story of the woman behind the American dime

Few know of Selma Burke, the Black American sculptor who played a major role in the Harlem Renaissance movement of the 1920s and 30s. Among her works is a bas-relief plaque of President Franklin D. Roosevelt, which is now widely accepted to be the basis for the design on the American dime, and something for which she never received credit within her lifetime. A stirring play about the importance of art, courage, romance, and justice, Burke’s rarely-told story is brought to life in this world premiere by Calgary playwrights Maria Crooks and Caroline Russell-King.

Presented in partnership with Alberta Theatre Projects.