Charleston

Charleston The dance that defined the defiant spirit of the 1920s is the Charleston , which first appeared in the Broadway show Runnin’ Wild (October 29, 1923). Elisabeth Welch introduced the song in this score, composed by James P. Johnson with lyrics by Cecil Mack . (They also wrote the standard “Old Fashioned Love” for this production.) Johnson claimed he was inspired by his neighbors in New York’s Hell’s Kitchen, many of whom had originally come from South Carolina. They would hold house…