Edith Segal

Edith Segal (November 11, 1902 – 1997) was a Jewish-American dancer, choreographer, poet, and songwriter who appeared on Broadway during the 1925–1926 season, with credits including Mixed Bill and the play The Dybbuk.

Born and raised in New York City to immigrant parents, Segal pursued a professional dance career over her mother's objections. She trained under Blanche Talmud and subsequently received a scholarship to study with ballet dancer Michael Mordkin. These formative experiences shaped a career that would extend well beyond performance into choreography, activism, and writing.

An early advocate for the Soviet Union, Segal founded a dance company called the Red Dancers in 1929. Among her earliest choreographic works were pieces created in tribute to V.I. Lenin, performed at a memorial she organized. That same period brought her into contact with Martha Graham, with whom she studied. In 1930 she traveled to the Soviet Union alongside other American artists, and upon returning joined them in declaring that "Art is a weapon."

That year also saw the creation of her most celebrated work, Black and White, developed with Allison Burroughs. The piece is recognized as one of the earliest interracial dance performances in the United States and has been identified as a signature work of American leftist dance. Segal continued to address racial themes through additional choreographed works including Scottsboro, Third Degree, and Southern Holiday. Her output also encompassed dances rooted in Jewish cultural themes and workers' rights, consistently reflecting her alignment with communist causes. During the 1950s Red Scare, she was called to testify before a New York state legislative investigating committee examining her communist ties.

Segal retired from professional performance in the late 1930s and transitioned into dance education, remaining active for decades at the progressive Jewish summer camp, Camp Kinderland. She also published multiple books of poetry on progressive themes, frequently illustrated by her husband, the artist Samuel Kamen. Writers and public figures including Langston Hughes and Dr. Spock offered praise for her written work. Segal died in New York City in 1997.