August Wilson (1992)

The playwright August Wilson passed away in 2005 at the age of 60, but his rich stories of African American life will live onstage for years to come. The first of his most popular plays was Jitney! Wilson ultimately wrote a century cycle of plays presenting black existence within specific decades. His third play, Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom, was the next great success that began a long rich career in theater. African Americans along with the American theater at large appreciate the authentic voice August Wilson gave to Black people living in America, a feat other playwrights attempted but usually failed. His plays are read in schools, homes, and libraries, but perhaps most importantly they are performed by major actors. Just in this year, 2010, Denzel Washington won a coveted Tony award for his performance in Wilson’s Fences.