Wilton Library brings Broadway talk to town June 1 By Wilton Library | Posted by May 25, 2021 Author Caseen Gaines visits Wilton Library virtually to discuss his new book, Footnotes, on Tuesday, June 1, from 7 to 8 p.m. (contributed photo) Wilton, CT – Broadway shows are still a few months away from opening, but Wilton Library is bringing the sense of Broadway to town with a virtual visit from Caseen Gaines, author of Footnotes, on Tuesday, June 1, 7 to 8 p.m. Gaines’s engaging account captures the triumphant story of the all-Black Broadway musical that changed the world forever. Footnotes: The Black Artists Who Rewrote the Rules of the Great White Way recounts how Noble Sissle and Eubie Blake, along with comedians Flournoy Miller and Aubrey Lyles, overcame poverty, racism, and violence to harness the energy of the Harlem Renaissance and produce a runaway Broadway hit. The show launched the careers of many of the twentieth century’s most beloved Black performers. Born in the shadow of slavery and establishing their careers at a time of increasing demands for racial justice and representation for people of color, Sissle, Blake, Miller, and Lyles broke down innumerable barriers between Black and white communities at a crucial point in American history. Author and pop culture expert Caseen Gaines leads the audience through the glitz and glamour of New York City during the Roaring Twenties to reveal the revolutionary impact one show had on generations of Americans, and how its legacy continues to resonate today.