by Abram Hill
A play from the co-founder of the
American Negro Theater.

What’s worth fighting for?

A bright young man with quick fists is given the shot to be a champion boxer… if he is willing to accept the racist rules that govern America of the 1930’s.

Working as a bootblack in 1939, nineteen-year old Andy Whitman’s prospects are limited only by the color of his skin. Bright, industrious, and black, he mostly dreams of escaping America entirely for acceptance he dreams awaits in Europe. Meanwhile, Andy’s family and girl friend have their own hopes for their spirited son. But for now, his daily struggle on the streets of New York makes make him quick with his temper and his fists.

Catching the eye of a boxing manager in a street fight, Andy is soon a rising star in a fast-paced racket. But prize-fighting is far more exploitation than adulation. It’s a game of devil’s bargains and dubious allies, controlled by men with no interest in a young man’s spirit. The hardest fights are outside the ring, and the rules are stacked against a black man seeking respect in a white world.

First produced in 1944, Abram Hill’s Walk Hard is a defining story of the struggle for a young black man to overcome barriers around him and rage within.  A hit on Broadway in 1946, the play has not been revived in New York since.

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