Gary Simmons’ “Ghost Reels” drawing installation will be on view in The Drawing Center stairwell through January 2018. According to Simmons, the work reflects “the memories of actors that have been blurred in the history of Hollywood film . . . a kind of silence in both voice and visibility.” Here we explore the contributions of African American actors and musicians of the early 20th century. A comedian of unique talent and reach, Jackie “Moms” Mabley, born Loretta Mary Aiken in 1894, made a name for herself first as a 14-year-old traveling on the vaudeville circuit and then as a standup comedian in African American clubs of the early 20th century. Moms was one of the first openly gay comedians, coming out as a lesbian in 1921. Throughout her life she favored comedy that spoke to the experiences of black audiences, and gained popularity in other communities in the United States during and following the civil rights movement, performing in such venues as the Apollo Theater and Carnegie...