By Garry Blanson
In 1931, Mary L. Booker was born in Pine Bluff, Arkansas. At the age of 24, Mary moved to San Francisco, California. Next, in 1960, she started “Infinity Productions” at the Bayview Opera House (a community theatre). Also, Mary was able to offer free acting workshops (she also wrote and directed several plays. In time, Mary saw that she could utilize theatrical arts to help promote Black Culture and unite different generations of Black People simultaneously.
Additionally, she used the opera house and her plays to entice Black youth to stay away from street life. By the way, Mary was known for telling the cast members in her plays, ”Make sure that if you put your name on something that it is done in decent and in order, and always on time!” Also, Mary felt that Black children performing in a play could not only give the kids confidence, but it would also help improve the Bayview community. Furthermore, she sought to use theater as a way of giving the children a sense of pride, discipline, and accomplishment!
In addition to everything else, Mary would often incorporate her passion for civil rights into her plays.
Throughout the Black Community of San Francisco, Mary was known as ”Mother Booker.” Yes, Mary played a very important part in the performing arts movement in San Francisco (she made the most of what she had, and she helped save hundreds of young lives in the process)!
On May 11, 2017, Mary L. Booker died of Leukemia, in San Francisco, California. In 2007, the San Francisco Public Library issued her the Unsung Hero award in her honor; and in 2019, The Mary L. Booker Leadership Academy (charter school) was established in San Francisco, California in her name.
In closing, I would like to say that it sure would be great if the Black citizens in Monroe, Louisiana could come together and build an “Opera House” in Monroe.
