CITY OF PITTSBURGH TO CELEBRATE BLACK HISTORY MONTH WITH TRIBUTE TO PLAYWRIGHT AUGUST WILSON
PITTSBURGH, PA - In February, the City of Pittsburgh will celebrate Black History Month by showcasing the life and works of American playwright and Pittsburgh native son August Wilson (1945 – 2005), who won acclaim from literary and theater critics for his plays that portray the African American experience in the twentieth century.
Working in partnership with the University of Pittsburgh Library System – which has acquired Wilson’s archive – the City of Pittsburgh Office of Special Events will present “Highlights from the August Wilson Archive” to spotlight Wilson’s life.
A monthlong display in the City-County Building’s grand lobby will feature a variety of photographs, playbills, handwritten notes, play materials, other memorabilia and an interactive activity. Online content from February 1 - 28 will feature a series of interviews with individuals who knew the playwright personally and professionally, photographs, and highlights of memorabilia on display downtown.
"August Wilson and his plays have shaped the way the world has learned about Black life in our city," said Mayor Ed Gainey. "I am proud and honored that this Black History Month we will be hosting the 'August Wilson Archive' at City Hall. This exhibit will help us celebrate his life and legacy as we share how his plays helped create a deeper understanding of what it meant to be Black in Pittsburgh."
The “Highlights from the August Wilson Archive” exhibit will celebrate the life of one of the most important voices in modern theater. The Pittsburgh native is best known for his American Century Cycle, a collection of 10 plays, 9 of which are set in his hometown, that span across decades.
The public is invited to attend the exhibit’s opening reception on Monday, February 6, 2023, at 6 p.m. in the City-County Building’s grand lobby. Festivities will include entertainment, refreshments, and remarks by Mayor Gainey, the Director of the University Library System, the Outreach and Engagement Curator of the August Wilson Collection, the Taylor Allderdice High School student who created the exhibit, and individuals who knew Wilson personally and professionally.
"We are excited to partner with the City of Pittsburgh to bring highlights from the August Wilson Archive, a unique collection with deep roots in Pittsburgh, to exhibit downtown as we celebrate Wilson for this year’s Black History Month,” said Kornelia Tancheva, Hillman University Librarian and Director of the University Library System.
The City of Pittsburgh’s celebration of Black History Month is presented by the Office of Special Events in partnership with the University of Pittsburgh Library System, and is sponsored by AARP Pennsylvania, 100.1 & AM 1020 KDKA NewsRadio and WAMO 107.3.
Additional information about the 2023 City of Pittsburgh Black History Month celebration is available at www.pittsburghpa.gov/events and @PghEventsOffice on Twitter.
ABOUT THE AUGUST WILSON ARCHIVE AT THE UNIVERSITY OF PITTSBURGH
www.augustwilson.library.pitt.edu
Please join the University of Pittsburgh Library System as we celebrate the opening of the August Wilson Archive with a weeklong series of events, culminating in a grand opening celebration in Hillman Library on Friday, March 3. To learn more, please visit www.augustwilson.library.pitt.edu
