Delaware Makers: Bebe Coker using theater to teach

Meet Bebe Coker, a Delaware resident and community activist for over 50 years who continues to make an impact on the community. 

Makers.com is a joint project of PBS and AOL showcasing hundreds of compelling stories from trailblazing women. The documentary “Makers: Women Who Make America,” premiering on PBS on Feb. 26 (check local listings), tells the story of the women’s movement through first-hand accounts of its leaders, opponents and trailblazers.

This is one of a separate series of articles about notable women in the Philadelphia region.

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Beatrice “Bebe” Coker is community activist of over 50 years who continues to make an impact in Delaware. She is a playwright, poet and lyricist and a strong advocate for high-quality public education. Her plays have appeared locally and off-broadway.

She is the Founding Director for the Black Heritage Educational/Theater Group, an organization that collaborates with literacy programs all over the city and county for African American youth.

“You can use theater for two things,” she said. “You can use theater to bring people together in the sense of community, but you can use theater to teach. This month, Black History Month, we are using theater to teach.”