The Nigger is a play by American playwright Edward Sheldon (1886–1946).[1] It explores the relationship between blacks and whites in the melodrama of a politician faced with a sudden, personal dilemma. The play was first performed on Broadway in New York City at the New Theatre on December 4, 1909.[2] The play was adapted to a novel, and a film adaptation, directed by Edgar Lewis, was made in 1915.[3] Because the title was controversial, the film was released in some markets as The Governor or The New Governor.