Harlem Duet

“SHE: Harlem’s the place to be now. Everyone who’s anyone is coming here now. It’s our time. In our place. It’s what we’ve always dreamed o […] sn’t it?”

She expresses the dream of Harlem—a homogeneous locale where Black people can flourish intellectually, creatively, and socioeconomically. Because She speaks in 1928—the height of the Harlem Renaissance—the words are even more meaningful.

“AMAH: Oh, I can’t rent your ground floor. They won’t give me any insurance ‘cause I don’t have a license. And I can’t get a license until I get a cosmetician’s certificate. And I can’t get a cosmetician’s certificate until I finish this two-year course on how to do White people’s hair and make-up. I told them ain’t no White people in Harlem. I’d learn how to do work with chemical relaxers and Jheri curls. Now, I do dreadlocks. And do they teach that? Oh, no. They’re just cracking down on people who do hair in private homes—something about lost tax revenues. I don’t kno […] want my own salon I can taste it. ‘The Lock Smiths.’”

Amah speaks of her ambition of opening a hair salon in Harlem, but she is facing obstacles imposed by regulations designed and dictated by white decision-makers. Required to take irrelevant classes in white skin and hair care—services that she wouldn’t be delivering in Harlem—her dream is on hold. She opens her speech by telling Magi that she can’t rent the ground floor of the building for the salon she wants so desperately, but the meaning of this statement runs deeper: these obstacles are preventing her from gaining access to the ground floor of entrepreneurism and, by extension, economic autonomy.

“HER: They probably go to a special place though—Cleotis and Venus, Emmett. Purgatory. Venus and Cleotis fall in love, marry, but have no tools to consummate it. Must be a lot of us there walking around in purgatory without genitals.”

Billie’s 1860 precursor speaks of the enslaved people who suffered pain, humiliation, and death at the hands of white supremacy. While she tries to imagine a happier end for them in the next life, she recognizes that they have been irrevocably damaged in this one. Moreover, she sees them in Purgatory as opposed to Heaven, as this is where some branches of Christians believe expiatory purification occurs as preparation for Heaven. Purgatory is also the condition where prayers are said for the dead to assist their transition into the divine afterlife. She mentions the name Emmett as another of those victimized by white supremacy. Although she is speaking of a contemporary, the name elicits the memory of Emmett Till.

“HER: Little strawberries on a sheet of white. Berries in a field of sno […] sighing) Ah silk. It’s beautiful.

HIM: It was my mother’s. Given to her by my fathe […] rom his mother before that. When she died she gave it to me, insisting that when I foun […] hos […] hose a wif […] hat I give it to he […] o your heart. […] There’s magic in the web of it […] A toke […] n antique token of our ancient love.”

In 1860, He and She echo the references to Desdemona’s handkerchief that appear in the Prologue and use language that runs closest to Shakespeare’s actual text. The scene is an expression of love and represents a connection that transcends time. Still, the handkerchief itself hints at the eventual distress that lies ahead for all three couples.

“BILLIE: Remember when we moved in? The day Nelson and Winnie came to Harlem, remember? Winnie and Nelson—our welcoming committee. They’d blocked off the whole of 125th—it took us 45 minutes to convince the cops to let us through. And me and you and Othe and Drew went down to hear them speak. And Drew went off in search of some grits from a street vendor. And you asked me to hold baby Jenny while you went to the restroom, when this man came up to us and took our picture. Asked to take our picture. Jenny in my arms. Othello beside me. ‘The perfect Black family.’ That’s what he called us. ‘The perfect Black family.’”

Billie reminisces about her earlier, happier days in Harlem. Nelson Mandela’s visit occurred on the day she moved in, a coincidence she regards as a good omen: After 28 years of unjust imprisonment, Mandela is free, and Billie sees herself as finding her own version of freedom in Harlem. Billie also recalls how she, Othello, Amah, and Andrew all went to see Mandela deliver his speech that day. A photographer calling Billie and the others “The perfect Black family” aligned with Billie’s dream; however, such perfection eluded her.

“BILLIE: I used to pray that he was calling to say he’s sorry. To say how he’d discovered a deep confusion in himself. But now… I have nothing to say to him. What could I say? Othello, how is the fairer sexed one you love to dangle from your arm the one you love for herself and preferred to the deeper sexed one is she softer does she smell of tea roses and baby powder does she sweat white musk from between her toes do her thighs touch I am not curious just want to know do her breasts fill the cup of your hand the lips of your tongue not too dark you like a little milk with your nipple don’t you no I’m not curious just want to know.”

Shortly after recalling the memory of the perfect Black family, Billie shares with Amah how she used to dream that an apologetic Othello would come back to her, seeking reconciliation. She then drifts off into a stream-of-consciousness speech about her curiosity regarding his new white girlfriend, Mona. She refers to her as something of a trophy wife (“the fairer sexed one you love to dangle from your arm”) and compares her and Mona’s physical differences in a sexual context. The words, as well as the fluid style of the writing, represent her pain, hurt, and increasing jealousy as well as her disjointed mental state.

“BILLIE: So let me get this straight, you’re against affirmative action in order for White people to respect you?

OTHELLO: For my peer […] y peers to respect me. You know what it’s like. Every day I have to prove to them that I can do my job. I feel that any error I make only goes to prove them right.”

As Othello packs the last of his things in the apartment he shared with Billie, the couple argues about prejudice and discrimination in the workplace. Othello doesn’t see affirmative action as a solution. To him, it reinforces a racial difference he would prefer to erase. Instead, he prefers the choice of active assimilation into the white world. Billie sees affirmative action as a means for Black people to access long-denied opportunities, and she finds his position counterproductive for future generations. Othello finally admits that he has experienced prejudice at work and feels that he is overlooked due to his race. He longs for the respect of his white peers, as it would represent acceptance and validation, much like the kind he attains by dating white women.

“OTHELLO: When I was growing u […] n a time of Black pride—it was something to say you were Black. Before that, I’d sa […] y family would say we’re Cuba […] t takes a long time to work through some of those things. I am a member of the human race.

BILLIE: Oh, that’s a switch. What happened to all that J.A. Rogers stuff you were pushing. Blacks created the world. Blacks are the progenitors of European civilization, glorian […] onstantly trying to prove you’re as good, no, better than White people. White people are always the line for you, aren’t they? The rul […] he margi […] he variable of control. We are Black. Whatever we do is Black.”

As their argument continues, Othello reveals that, before the advent of Black Pride, his family identified as Cuban to avoid, or at least lessen, the impact of prejudice. Billie calls him on this, citing his previous support of historian J.A. Rogers who championed the immense cultural contributions of the African nation. She accuses him of making a 180-degree turn—now valuing the opinions and approval of whites above all else—and reminds him that being Black defines them.

“BILLIE: But progress is going to White school […] roving we’re as good as White […] ike some holy grai […] ll that we’re taught in those White schools. All that is in us. Our success is Whiteness. We religiously seek to have what they have. Access to the White man’s world. The White man’s job.”

Billie continues her argument that the Black community should not aim to become white. They should not measure their success against white people, nor should they define themselves by their standards. Billie rejects the blueprint Black people are taught in white schools, which suppresses Black self-identity and self-expression. A posture like this destroys self-esteem and inhibits true progress.

“BILLIE: Yes, you can forget it, can’t you. I don’t have tha […] hat luxury. When I go into a store, I always know when I’m being watched. I can feel it. They want to see if I’m gonna slip some of their stuff into my pockets. When someone doesn’t serve me, I think it’s because it’s because I’m Black. When a clerk won’t put the change in my held-out hand, I think it’s because I’m Black. When I hear about a crime, any crime, I pray to God the person who they think did it isn’t Black. I’m even suspicious of the word Black. Who called us Black anyway? It’s not a country, it’s not a racial category, it’s not even the colour of my skin. And don’t give me this content of one’s character B.S. I’m sorr […] am sorr […] had a dream. A dream that one day a Black man and a Black woman might fin […] here jumping a broom was a solemn eternal vow tha […] …Let’ […] an we just get this over with?”

Billie tells Othello that while he is busy navigating the white world, she is still dealing with the effects of discrimination. She experiences racial profiling from white retailers and is disrespected by sales clerks, solely based on race. She derides Martin Luther King, Jr’s “I Have a Dream speech and transfers her frustrations to her personal strife. To Billie, Othello’s rejection is the ultimate case of racial discrimination.

“BILLIE: When we lived in the Village, sometimes I’d be on the subway and I’d miss my stop. And I’d just sit there, past midtown, past the upper west side, and somehow I’d end up here. And I’d just walk. I love seeing all these brown faces.”

Billie’s description of Harlem in this passage is idyllic, as the neighborhood represents a haven to her—a force that draws her in and brings her back repeatedly. The image of peacefully walking the streets and observing the familiarity of the residents is an appealing one that shares the contentment she feels in these surroundings and echoes Malcolm X’s sentiments.

“BILLIE: Sometime […] ometimes when we make love. Sometimes every moment lines up into one moment. And I’m holding you. And I can’t tell where I end, or you begin. I see everything. All my ancestors lined up below m […] ike a Makonde statue, or something. It’s lik […] know. I know I’m supposed to be here. Everything is here.”

After Billie and Othello make love, she reflects on her feelings for him as almost surpassing the limitations of space and time. Her reference to a Makonde statue illustrates their shared African history and origins, and her mention of ancestors delivers the connection to the past both generally and specifically to the other two couples in the play.

“HIM: I love you. It’s jus […] he needs me. She respects me. Looks up to me, even. I love you. It’s jus […] hen I’m with her I feel lik […] man. I wan […] need to do for her.”

As He tells Her that he cannot join her on the exodus to Canada, He reveals that while He does love Her, He loves the way Miss Dessy makes Him feel. Gaining the love and respect of a white woman has given Him an elevated sense of validation. He is needed.

“MAGI: Booker T. Uppermiddleclass III. He can be found in predominantly White neighborhoods. He refers to other Blacks as ‘them.’ His greatest accomplishment was being invited to the White House by George Bush to discuss the ‘Negro problem.’ […]

MAGI: I see them do things for White women they wouldn’t dream of doing for me.

BILLIE: It is a disease. We get infected as children, an […] nd the bacteri […] he virus slowly spreads, disabling the entire system.

MAGI: Are we infected, too?”

Billie and Magi discuss Black men who they perceive as wanting to be white. Magi even references Booker T. Washington, founder of the Tuskegee Institute, who despite his contributions was often accused of aligning too closely with white culture. They also speak of how much more deferential Black men, particularly Othello, act in the presence of white women, and how they are “infected” with that need to please due to the stronghold white supremacy has on all aspects of life. According to Billie, this betrayal of one’s origins is disabling and dangerous.

“OTHELLO: Don’t you see! That’s exactly my point! Yo […] he Black feminist position as I experience it in the relationship, leaves me feeling unrecognized as a man. The message is, Black men are poor fathers, poor partners, or both. Black women wear the pants that Black men were prevented from wearin […] believe in tradition. You don’t support me. Black women are more concerned with their careers than their husbands. There was a time when women felt satisfied, no, honoured being a balance to their spouse, at home, supporting the family, playing her role—

BILLIE: Which women? I mean, which women are you referring to? Your mother worked all her life. My mother worked, her mother worke […] ost Black women have been working like mules since we arrived on this continent. Like mules. When White women were burning their bras, we were hired to hold their tits up. We looked after their homes, their childre […] don’t support you? My mother’s death paid your tuition, not mine.”

Othello laments the state of relationships between Black men and Black women. Black feminists in particular represent a break in tradition that, in Othello’s view, translates into a form of emasculation. They have retracted their support of husbands and families and seem to no longer revere the role of wife. He admires how white men have somehow maintained control over their women, which is an ironic posture from a descendant of enslaved people. Billie confronts him with the fact that Black women have long been overly supportive not only of Black men but of white women, who have relegated them to subservient roles. She also reminds him that it was her Black mother’s insurance plan that paved the way to his current success in the white world. She has more than proven her support of his aspirations.

“OTHELLO: […] I’ll tell you the truth. Yes, I prefer White women. They are easier—before and after sex. They wanted me and I wanted them. They weren’t filled with hostility about the unequal treatment they were getting at their jobs. We’d make love and I’d fall asleep not having to beware being mistaken for someone’s inattentive father. I’d explain that I wasn’t interested in a committed relationship right now, and not be confused with every lousy lover, or husband that had ever left them lying in a gutter of unresolved emotions. It’s the truth. To a Black woman, I represent every Black man she has ever been with and with whom there was still so much to work out. The White women I loved saw me—could see me. Look, I’m not a junkie. I don’t need more than one lover to prove my manhood. I have no children. I did not leave you, your mother, or your aunt, with six babies and a whole lotta love. I am a very single, very intelligent, very employed Black man. And with a White woman it’s good. It’s nice. Anyhow, we’re all equal in the eyes of God, aren’t we? Aren’t we?”

Othello makes the argument that being with white women is easier for a man like him. They do not bring emotional baggage to a relationship and accept him for what he is—not a Black man but simply a man. Oddly, he believes that Black women cling more closely to disparaging stereotypes when it comes to Black men, constantly berating them for their lack of ambition, commitment, and employment. In his last lines, he tries to elevate the argument even more by saying that acceptance is a spiritual exercise.

“CANADA: The first time I came to Harlem, I was scared. Must have been ‘68 or ‘69. Ye […] e were living in the Bronx, and your mother was still alive. Everything I’d ever learned told me that I wasn’t safe in this part of town. The newspapers. Television. My friends. My own family. But I’m curious, see. I says, Canada you can’t be in New York City and not see Harlem. […] So I’m doing this for ‘bout five, ten minutes, taking short furtive glances at this place I really want to see, when I begin to realiz […] o-one is taking any notice of m […] ot a soul. Then it dawns on me: I’m the same as them. I look just like them. I look like I live in Harlem. Sounds silly now. But I just had to catch myself and laugh out loud. Canada, where did you get these ideas about Harlem from?”

Canada’s story of his first trip to Harlem conveys the sorts of negative Black stereotypes that are propagated in society, even prompting some Black people to feel intimidated by other Black people. He had to muster up courage to visit a predominantly Black community, as the media had brainwashed him into thinking that walking into Harlem was like walking into a war zone. The speech shows the level of damage such platforms can do, and how long-lasting the actual damage can be.

“CANADA: You know, an old African once told me the story of a man who was struck by an arrow. His attacker was unknown. Instead of tending to his wound, he refused to remove the arrow until the archer was found and punished. In the meantime, the wound festered, until finally the poison infected his entire body, eventually killing hi […] ow, who is responsible for this man’s death, the archer for letting go of the arrow, or the man for his foolish holding on?”

Canada’s tale directly speaks to Billie’s current mindset. She is carrying around the pain and infection that came with Othello’s betrayal, and it is killing her slowly. Canada intends to show Billie how to free herself from the constraints, or shackles, of resentment if she wants to regain her life. Only she, however, has the power to do so.

“CANADA […] You’ve got her moods. I used to call them her moods. Once ‘bout every three months, on a Friday, when she’d have the weekend off, she’d come home from that hospital, take off her clothes and lay down in her bed and stay there ‘till Sunday afternoon. She’d say she’d done turned the other cheek so many times in the past little while, she didn’t have no more smiles for anybody. She’d say, better she just face God and the pillow than shower me and the children with the evil she had bottled up inside her. See, if you spend too much time among White people, you start believing what they think of you.”

Canada tells Billie that her mother was also prone to depression due to the racism and discrimination that impact Black people. Working in a hospital, she would be left exhausted not only from the actual work but also from the treatment to which she was exposed. Canada makes the point that if one allows it, negative opinions, which are a form of oppression, can weaken and eventually overtake one’s psyche, rendering one helpless. Billie must not allow Othello’s betrayal to define her.

“HE: I’ll not die in black-face to pay the rent. I am of Ira Aldridge stock. I am a classical man. I long to play the Scottish king. The prince of Denmark. ‘The slings and arrows of outrageou […] O […] r… ‘There’s divinity that shapes our ends, Rough-hew them how we will […] hose word […] love those words. They give me life. Mona sees my gift. She’s cast me as the prince of Tyre. She’s breathed new life into a barren dream. Sh […] h […] he has a serene calmness about her. That smil […] bet they named her Mona because even at birth, she had that constant half smile, like the Mona Lisa. Skin as smooth as monumental alabaste […] s warm as snow velvet.”

The lack of artistic expression is looming over Him. He compares himself to Ira Aldridge, a respected 19th-century Black actor best known for his performances in Shakespearean roles, illustrating his talent and artistry as well as his goals. Quoting the character of Hamlet, he expresses the sentiment that God is in control, orchestrating our lives as we try to execute our plans. He then also describes Mona with phrases similar to those Othello used to describe Desdemona, underlining his dedication to both Mona and the classics.

“BILLIE: I don’t remember Beryl’s funeral. I see my father dressed in black, sewing a white button, on to his white shirt, with an enormous needle. He attaches the button and knots the thread so many times it’s like he’s trying to hold onto more than just the button. Like he can’t bear for anything else in his life to leave him.”

Billie recalls the image of her father preparing for her mother’s funeral. His act of repeatedly knotting the thread to secure the button on his shirt signifies his difficulty in letting go. He wants to hold on tightly, with the thread acting as a surrogate for his wife. The fact that Billie calls her mother by her first name suggests that, because she was so young when Beryl died, she did not have the opportunity to develop a close mother-daughter relationship.

“MAGI: Is everything about White people with you? Is every living moment of your life eaten up with thinking about them? Do you know where you are? Do you know who you are anymore? What about right and wrong? Racism is a disease my friend, and your test just came back positive. You’re so busy reacting, you don’t even know yourself.”

Magi is exasperated by Billie’s obsession with race. It has reached the point where Magi accuses Billie of being a reverse racist and implies that her objectivity and ethics are on the line. The preoccupation has invaded and consumed her, leaving Billie an empty, emotional husk.

“OTHELLO: Think them old slaves had rings? Slave marriages were illegal, remember. This broom is more than rings. More than any gold. My ancient love.”

As Billie and Othello decide to jump the broom in marital commitment, Billie asks what they will use for rings. Othello reminds her that rings never had a place in marriages among enslaved people, as they were illegal. This corresponds to his earlier comment about interracial marriage being illegal in the US well into the 1960s. Sadly, this underlines his abandonment of African American rituals. Now that he is marrying Mona, they no longer have a place in his landscape. Sadder still, his calling Billie his “ancient love” resurrects the connection to his history which he has also discarded.

“CANADA: You young’uns don’t know the sweetness of molasse […] ather have granulated sugar, ‘stead of a deep clover honey, or a cane sugar juice from way into the Demerara. Better watch out for that refined shit. It’ll kill ya. A slow kinda killin’. ‘Cause it kills your mind first. So you think you living the life, when you been dead a long time.”

Canada tells Othello that by choosing refined sugar over a natural one, especially one that originates from Demerara, a region in Guyana, he is choosing an inauthentic life with a white woman over a natural one with a Black woman. Canada suggests that proactively seeking acceptance from and assimilation into the white world means abandoning his heritage, which will eventually catch up with him and kill his spirit.