August Wilson

August Wilson, renowned playwright, crafted the acclaimed "Pittsburgh Cycle", a series of plays delving into the African-American experience in 20th century Pittsburgh, capturing their essence with profound artistry.

Playwright

April 27, 1945

Taurus

October 02, 2005

60

Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

August Wilson, born on April 27, 1945, in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, was a distinguished American playwright known for his “Pittsburgh Cycle,” a series of ten plays that explore the African-American experience in the 20th century. The son of Daisy Wilson and Frederick August Kittel, a Sudeten German immigrant, Wilson grew up without a father figure and chose to adopt his pseudonym ‘August Wilson’ to honor his mother.

At the age of 15, the gifted writer quit school and homeschooled himself after experiencing racism and bullying. As an aspiring writer, Wilson purchased his first typewriter for $20 by writing his siblings’ term papers. He began his career as a playwright in the early 1970s, focusing on plays that explored the African-American experience in the United States.

Wilson’s first major success came with the play “Jitney,” which premiered in 1982 and won the Obie Award for Best New American Play. He went on to write a series of acclaimed plays, including “Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom” (1984), “Fences” (1985), “Joe Turner’s Come and Gone” (1986), and “The Piano Lesson” (1987). His plays have been produced on Broadway, off-Broadway, and around the world, receiving numerous awards such as the Pulitzer Prize for Drama and the Tony Award for Best Play. In 2022, a revival of “Jitney” won the Tony Award for Best Revival of a Play, further solidifying Wilson’s legacy as one of the greatest American playwrights.

Considered one of the most important American playwrights of the 20th century, Wilson won numerous awards for his work, including the Pulitzer Prize for Drama for “Fences” (1987) and “The Piano Lesson” (1990), and the Tony Award for Best Play for “Fences” (1987) and “Jitney” (2022). He was also awarded the MacArthur Foundation “genius” grant in 1990 and the National Medal of Arts in 1996.

Wilson was married to Judy Oliver from 1969 to 1972 and had two daughters, Sakina Ansari and Azula Wilson. He passed away from liver cancer on October 2, 2005, at the age of 60. Despite his passing, Wilson left behind a large body of unpublished work, including plays, poems, and essays. A talented musician, he played the piano and guitar and was a strong advocate for African-American culture and history. Through his plays, Wilson explored the challenges and triumphs of the African-American experience, earning him acclaim as a leading voice in African-American theater.