bˈeɪʒ dᵻpˈɪkts "ðɪ ˈæfɹoʊɐmˈɛɹɪkən ʌvðə nˈaɪntiːnhˈʌndɹɪd twˈɛnti z, θˈɜːɾi z ænd wˈɜːld wˈɔːɹ ɹˌoʊmən tˈuː" ɐkˈoːɹdɪŋ tə lˈɛnɚd fˈɛðɚz nˈoʊts fɚðə nˈaɪntiːnhˈʌndɹɪd sˈɛvənti sˈɛvən ɹᵻlˈiːs ʌvðɪ ɚɹˈɪdʒɪnəl nˈaɪntiːnhˈʌndɹɪd fˈoːɹɾi θɹˈiː pɚfˈoːɹməns.
Beige depicts "the Afro-American of the 1920s, 30s and World War II" according to Leonard Feather's notes for the 1977 release of the original 1943 performance.