Regina M. Anderson (1901-1993) was born of mixed-race ancestry. She identified as “American” and was a leader in the black artistic community.
Anderson received a master’s degree in library science from Columbia University. She worked as a librarian with the New York Public Library for more than 40 years. Her home became a central hub for Harlem’s intellectuals and artists.
She was a founding member of the Krigwa Players, a black acting troupe with became the Negro Experimental Theatre. Anderson was also a playwright who wrote under the pseudonym Ursula or Ursala Trelling. Her work included Climbing Jacob’s Ladder (1931) and Underground (1932).
She is quoted as saying in 1981: “It gives me a great deal of personal satisfaction to have lived to see much of what we and other pioneers worked to achieve becoming a reality. However, we need more and more opportunities for our actors, writers, and directors.” Anderson died in 1993 in New York. –Heidi Durrow
Mixed Experience History Month is the annual blog post series created by The New York Times best-selling author Heidi Durrow celebrating the history of the Mixed experience. Established in 2007, Mixed Experience History Month is an effort to highlight the long history of folks and events involved in the Mixed experience. Please look for archived profiles of people, places and events of the Mixed experience every weekday of May! Thanks for reading. And check out some of the previous year’s profiles: 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015.
ay I see it, Blaxicans really challenge the way we think about race and force us to think about racial identities in more inclusive and broad ways. Blaxicans are dual minorities. We represent two of the largest ethnic minority groups. And I think because Blaxicans represent two of the most aggrieved groups in Los Angeles, it’s important to understand that certain sets of issues and challenges that have been traditionally labeled as African American or Latino, ultimately, do not exist for people who self-identify as Blaxicans.” Walter Thompson-Hernandez
