Katherine Dunham and the Building of Diaspora

Abstract This chapter examines how Katherine Dunham, through her choreography and international performances, shapes a global diasporic consciousness rooted in Africanist aesthetics. She rejects American racism and Cold War repression, and from 1947 to 1960, she tours extensively to present a modern, unified vision of the African diaspora that transcends national boundaries. Her works, including Veracruzana and Southland, challenge dominant narratives of modernism and universalism by centering Black cultural forms and political resistance. Through collaborations with African and Caribbean intellectuals, cultural exchanges, and public activism, Dunham forges solidarities across continents, influencing national dance movements and civil rights discourse. Finally, the chapter shows how her diasporic legacy endures in contemporary global collaborations that continue to redefine Black identity through performance.