Dutchman

Winner of the 1964 Village Voice Obie Award, LeRoi Jones’ Dutchman tells the story of Lula and Clay, two strangers who meet on a subway train on a steaming summer night in New York City. Clay, a 20-year-old African-American poet, is on his way to a friend’s party when he notices an attractive white woman standing on the subway platform. Intrigued by his glance, Lula boards the train and introduces herself. During the course of the slow train ride, Lula and Clay seduce and repel each other until Lula drives Clay to his feet and to his destiny.