The contributions of Floyd Leslie Sandle to black educational theatre in Louisiana
Floyd Leslie Sandle appeared on the theatrical scene in 1938 on the campus of Grambling State University. From his humble beginnings in the segregated town of Magnolia, Mississippi, to Dillard University where his passion for theatre was nurtured by Dr. Sheppard Randolph Edmonds, Sandle made significant strides in the dvelopment of Black Educational Theatre in Louisiana. Through his unique approach of presenting plays to the residents of the rural community of Grambling, Louisiana, Sandle was able to establish a state certified Speech and Drama Department at Grambling State University. He trained students in educational theatre though his lectures, laboratory experiences, and his leadership roles in the Louisiana Interscholastic Athletic and Literary Organization (LIALO) and the National Association of Dramatic and Speech Arts (NADSA). As beneficiaries of Sandle's pioneering work in educational theatre, his students have excelled as teachers, directors, actors, writers, and administrators. Sandle became the first Black student to receive a Ph.D. from Louisiana State University in 1959. This study examines the life and career of Floyd Leslie Sandle as a pioneer of Black Educational Theatre in Louisiana. It has three major objectives: 1) to document Sandle's contributions to the development of a state certified collegiate theatre program by recognizing his diligence in using theatre to promote social change; 2) to retrieve yet another chapter of lost theatre history that is needed for an accurate record of the development of Black collegiate theatre and its organizations and 3) to explore Sandle's influence on Black Theatre artists working today. This study will provide a broader perspective of Black Educational Theatre programs; affiliate organizations and Floyd Leslie Sandle's direct contributions to their historical development.
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