Pearl Primus
Welcome to the publication, “Representations.” This is a project designed to bring the perspectives of a wider variety of groups to the forefront of the anthropology classroom. To celebrate Black History Month, we are covering the accomplishments of 28 Black anthropologists across 28 days. Learn more about our project, and read on for the amazing accomplishments of Pearl Primus.
To learn about another anthropologist who fused cultural research with dance, read about Katherine Dunham.
Good anthropology requires holistic and participatory research. For many, this type of intensive cultural fieldwork compels us to take action in our own communities in order to better the circumstances of those who have been previously forgotten, disparaged, or marginalized. Born in 1919 with a bachelor’s degree in 1940, and a Ph.D in 1978, Pearl Primus rose to the forefront of both anthropology and dance in exactly this spirit.
Primus’ research and performances highlighted the power and glory behind traditional dances of the African diaspora and, as a result, her work shed a light on areas of an American culture that were previously — and purposely — hidden from public discourse. Primus reflected on her career, “I wanted to show white people that there is respect due this culture. And I danced to show Black people that this is a great heritage (Wright 1985).”
Pearl Primus’ participant observation was unparalleled. In 1944, she spent months working as a migrant worker in the American South picking cotton in order to better understand the plight of Black Americans in that region (Foulkes 2014). In 1948, Primus traveled — alone — across Western and Central Africa experiencing and absorbing the knowledge of local culture, religion, and dance (ibid).
Primus’ work is considered by many to be a form of “translation” (McClaurin 2001) whereby she used dance to convey important messages about social and economic disparity in the United States. Like any great anthropologist, Primus aptly communicated meaning across groups that would otherwise not encounter one another; in 1991 Primus explained, “I dance not to entertain but to help people better understand each other (Dunning 1994).
Pearl Primus was an American woman born in Trinidad in 1919 and she used her passion and talent for dance to connect on an unprecedented anthropological level with her African roots. Interestingly enough, Primus initially earned her degree in first degree in 1940 in Biology; her degree prepared her to gain an essential understanding of human biological variation. But, facing a culture that still barred Black women from careers in Biology (Foulkes 2014), Primus found her platform in the fields of cultural anthropological study and dance.
Over the course of her dance career, Primus had a particular interest in Black heritage, which she carried over into her compositions after doing months of research on the African diaspora of New York City. This turned into her critically acclaimed first composition, African Ceremonial, and her subsequent compositions Strange Fruit and Hard Time Blues among others. After a successful break in the entertainment industry, Pearl went on to perform at several famous locations, arguably the peak of these being Carnegie Hall in December of 1943. Her technique was stunning, but what made more of a lasting impact was her intent on adequately researching and experiencing Black culture, making research trips to the American South to study the art and traditions of its African American residents. During this time, she would complete back-breaking work with sharecroppers and listen to sermons at Black churches. Filled with a revitalized power and vigor, Primus began to compose even more interpretative, unique compositions that would lead her to more than one Broadway performance over her career.
After many successful shows with her new group The Primus Company, Primus was approached by a benefactor willing to grant her $4,000 to visit the African continent in person and strengthen her performance narrative as well as give her an outlet for her anthropological interest in Africa. Her trip touring several countries across the Africa continent was life-changing and spurred her on to pursue a Ph.D. in anthropology from NYU in 1978. With her degree and experience, Primus went on to found the Pearl Primus Dance Language Institute in New York with her husband, teaching the African diaspora traditional dances to reconnect them with their heritage. Primus taught at several colleges and high schools and furthered her anthropological studies across the globe. Over the course of her career, she was honored with several awards, such as the National Medal of Arts from George H. W. Bush in 1991, The Liberian award Star of Africa, and The Natural Culture Award from the New York State Federation of Foreign Language Teachers among others.
Dunning, Jennifer. “Pearl Primus Is Dead at 74; A Pioneer of Modern Dance.” The New York Times, The New York Times, 31 Oct. 1994, www.nytimes.com/1994/10/31/obituaries/pearl-primus-is-dead-at-74-a-pioneer-of-modern-dance.html.
Foulkes, J. (1995). Pearl Primus: Pearl in our Midst. Dance Research Journal, 27(1), 80–82. doi:10.1017/S014976770000423X“Pearl Primus (1919–1994).” Association of Black Anthropologists, American Anthropological Association, aba.americananthro.org/pearl-primus-1919–1994/.
“Pearl Primus.” Encyclopædia Britannica, Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc., 25 Nov. 2020, www.britannica.com/biography/Pearl-Primus.
McClaurin, Irma. “Theorizing A Black Feminist Self.” Black Feminist Anthropology: Theory, Politics, Praxis, and Poetics, edited by Irma McClaurin, Rutgers Univ. Press, 2001, pp. 49–76.
Wright, Patricia. “The Prime of Miss Pearl Primus.” CONTACT 10, no. 3 (February 1985): 1316.
Written by Brun Mac Ámoin and Amanda Zunner-Keating. Edited by Brian Pierson, Los Angeles Valley College.
