Billy& Samuel& Porgy.
I DISCOVERED A CERAMIC FIGURINE OF THE LATE BILLY WATERS ON 17 JANUARY, 2013 WHILE VISITING THE V&A. AFTER READING A SUMMARY OF HIS LIFE, I WAS IMMEDIATELY REMINDED OF PORGY, A POPULAR CHARACTER IN FICTION & MUSICAL THEATRE IN THE UNITED STATES, WHERE I’M FROM. PORGY IS BASED ON THE LATE SAMUEL SMALLS, A MAN WHO DIED 100 YEARS AFTER BILLY. THE SIMILARITIES BETWEEN THE THREE ARE UNCANNY EVEN THOUGH THEY EXIST(ED) YEARS & WORLDS APART.
B I L LY W AT E R S
CIRCA 1778 - 1823.
LONDON, UK.
PEG LEG.
L I K E D B Y C O M M U N I T Y.
BUSKER.
WIFE & TWO KIDS.
FIDDLER.
DIED DESTITUTE.
P L AY E D H I M S E L F O N S TA G E .
BLACK MAN.
S A M U E L “ G O AT ” S M A L L S
1859 - 1924.
CHARLESTON, USA.
G O AT C A R T.
F E A R E D B Y C O M M U N I T Y.
STREET VENDOR.
ESTRANGED WIFE.
SINGER.
DIED DESTITUTE.
NOVELIZED.
BLACK MAN.
PORGY
1925 - ∞. CANE / CRUTCH. BEGGAR. SINGER. N O V E L I Z AT I O N .
CHARLESTON, USA. L O V E D B Y C O M M U N I T Y. BESS. HEARTBROKEN. BLACK MAN.
Come rain or shine, he entertained; he made the streets his home. Known far and wide for his good cheer, he did what had to be done. Playing sweet music, in spite of strife, just to earn a few crumbs. Family to feed, always in need, and yet they loved him so. His name, his song, his image - many would come to know. And when the workhouse claimed him, his crown they did bestow. Billy, the King of the beggars, he never let us down. MAKEDA COASTON
My grandmother knew him as a girl growing up on Charleston’s “neck” — the area north of downtown that joins the peninsula to the mainland. K E N D R A H A M I LT O N
Oh Lord, I’m on my way to a heavenly land.
PORGY THE GERSHWIN’S PORGY & BESS
PA R I S H WO R K H O U S E WH E R E B I L LY D I E D
BESS. DIED DESTITUTE. DIED DESTITUTE. HEARTBROKEN. BLACK MAN. BLACK MAN. BLACK MAN. BLACK M A N . P E G L E G . G O A T C A R T. C A N E . C R U T C H . B U S K E R . V E N D O R . B E G G A R . F I D D L E R . S I N G E R . S I N G E R . P L AY E D H I M S E L F O N S TA G E . N O V E L I Z E D . N O V E L I Z AT I O N . L O N D O N . C H A R L E S T O N . C H A R L E S T O N . L I K E D . FEARED.
LOVED.
WIFE
&
TWO
KIDS.
ESTRANGED
WIFE.
BESS.
DIED
DESTITUTE.
DIED
DESTITUTE.
H E A R T B R O K E N . B L A C K M A N . B L A C K M A N . B L A C K M A N . B L A C K M A N . P E G L E G . G O A T C A R T. C A N E . C R U T C H . BUSKER.
VENDOR.
N O V E L I Z AT I O N .
BEGGAR.
LONDON.
FIDDLER.
CHARLESTON.
SINGER.
SINGER.
CHARLESTON.
P L AY E D
LIKED.
HIMSELF
FEARED.
ON
LOVED.
S TA G E . WIFE
&
NOVELIZED. TWO
KIDS.
ESTRANGED WIFE. BESS. DIED DESTITUTE. DIED DESTITUTE. HEARTBROKEN. BLACK MAN. BLACK MAN. B L A C K M A N . B L A C K M A N . P E G L E G . G O A T C A R T. C A N E . C R U T C H . B U S K E R . V E N D O R . B E G G A R . F I D D L E R . SINGER.
SINGER.
P L AY E D
HIMSELF
ON
S TA G E .
NOVELIZED.
N O V E L I Z AT I O N .
LONDON.
CHARLESTON.
CHARLESTON. LIKED. FEARED. LOVED. WIFE & TWO KIDS. ESTRANGED WIFE. BESS. DIED DESTITUTE. D I E D D E S T I T U T E . H E A R T B R O K E N . B L A C K M A N . B L A C K M A N . B L A C K M A N . B L A C K M A N . P E G L E G . G O AT C A R T. C A N E . C R U T C H . B U S K E R . V E N D O R . B E G G A R . F I D D L E R . S I N G E R . S I N G E R . P L A Y E D H I M S E L F O N S TA G E .
NOVELIZED.
N O V E L I Z AT I O N .
LONDON.
CHARLESTON.
CHARLESTON.
LIKED.
FEARED.
LOVED.
WIFE & TWO KIDS. ESTRANGED WIFE. BESS. DIED DESTITUTE. DIED DESTITUTE. HEARTBROKEN. BLACK M A N . B L A C K M A N . B L A C K M A N . B L A C K M A N . P E G L E G . G O A T C A R T. C A N E . C R U T C H . B U S K E R . V E N D O R . B E G G A R . F I D D L E R . S I N G E R . S I N G E R . P L AY E D H I M S E L F O N S TA G E . N O V E L I Z E D . N O V E L I Z AT I O N . L O N D O N . CHARLESTON. CHARLESTON. LIKED. FEARED. LOVED. WIFE & TWO KIDS. ESTRANGED WIFE. BESS. DIED DESTITUTE. DIED DESTITUTE. HEARTBROKEN. BLACK MAN. BLACK MAN. BLACK MAN. BLACK MAN. PEG LEG.
G O A T C A R T.
CANE.
CRUTCH.
BUSKER.
VENDOR.
BEGGAR.
FIDDLER.
SINGER.
S I N G E R . P L AY E D
H I M S E L F O N S TA G E . N O V E L I Z E D . N O V E L I Z AT I O N . L O N D O N . C H A R L E S T O N . C H A R L E S T O N . L I K E D . F E A R E D . LOVED. WIFE & TWO KIDS. ESTRANGED WIFE. BESS. DIED DESTITUTE. DIED DESTITUTE. HEARTBROKEN. BLACK
MAN.
BLACK
MAN.
BLACK
MAN.
PEG
LEG.
G O AT
C A R T.
CANE.
CRUTCH.
BUSKER.
VENDOR.
B E G G A R . F I D D L E R . S I N G E R . S I N G E R . P L AY E D H I M S E L F O N S TA G E . N O V E L I Z E D . N O V E L I Z AT I O N . L O N D O N . CHARLESTON. CHARLESTON. LIKED. FEARED. LOVED. WIFE & TWO KIDS. ESTRANGED WIFE. BESS. DIED D E S T I T U T E . D I E D D E S T I T U T E . H E A R T B R O K E N . B L A C K M A N . B L A C K M A N . B L A C K M A N . P E G L E G . G O A T C A R T. C A N E . C R U T C H . B U S K E R . V E N D O R . B E G G A R . F I D D L E R . S I N G E R . S I N G E R . P L AY E D H I M S E L F O N S TA G E . N O V E L I Z E D . N O V E L I Z AT I O N . L O N D O N . C H A R L E S T O N . C H A R L E S T O N . L I K E D . F E A R E D . L O V E D . W I F E & T W O KIDS. ESTRANGED WIFE. BESS. DIED DESTITUTE. DIED DESTITUTE. HEARTBROKEN. BLACK MAN. BLACK M A N . B L A C K M A N . P E G L E G . G O A T C A R T. C A N E . C R U T C H . B U S K E R . V E N D O R . B E G G A R . F I D D L E R . S I N G E R . S I N G E R . P L AY E D H I M S E L F O N S TA G E . N O V E L I Z E D . N O V E L I Z AT I O N . L O N D O N . C H A R L E S T O N . C H A R L E S T O N . LIKED. FEARED. LOVED. WIFE & TWO KIDS. ESTRANGED WIFE. BESS. DIED DESTITUTE. DIED DESTITUTE. H E A R T B R O K E N . B L A C K M A N . B L A C K M A N . B L A C K M A N . P E G L E G . G O A T C A R T. C A N E . C R U T C H . B U S K E R . V E N D O R . B E G G A R . F I D D L E R . S I N G E R . S I N G E R . P L AY E D H I M S E L F O N S TA G E . N O V E L I Z E D . N O V E L I Z AT I O N . LONDON. CHARLESTON. CHARLESTON. LIKED. FEARED. LOVED. WIFE & TWO KIDS. ESTRANGED WIFE.
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FOR MORE INFORMATION: bit.ly/zine-billy bit.ly/zine-samporgy bit.ly/zine-porgy
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