Literary – Playwrights
Ntozake Shange (Paulette Williams) (1948-2018 )
The author, poet, and playwright Ntozake Shange was born Paulette Williams on October 18, 1948 in Trenton, New Jersey. Until she was eight,...
Janelle Monae Robinson (1985– )
“Image Ownership: Myles Kalus Anak Jihem” Janelle Monae Robinson, known professionally as Janelle Monae, is an African American singer, songwriter,...
Nuruddin Farah (1945- )
Renowned African novelist Nuruddin Farah was born in Baidoa, Somalia in 1945, a time when Somalia was still an Italian...
Ngugi wa Thiong’o (AKA James T. Ngugi) (1938- )
African novelist Ngugi wa Thiong’o is a Kenyan author, educator and playwright. With the publication of his first novel, he...
Powell Lindsay (1905-1987)
Powell Lindsay, actor, director, playwright, and producer, was born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. He attended Virginia Union University as well as...
Wole Soyinka (1934- )
Akinwande Ouwole “Wole” Soyinka, the first African writer to win a Nobel Prize in Literature (1986) was born in Abeokuta,...
Marita Odette Bonner (1899-1971)
Marita Odette Bonner (Occomy) was an African American writer, essayist, and playwright associated with the Harlem Renaissance Era. Born on...
Henry Francis Downing (1846-1928)
Henry Francis Downing was an author, playwright, consul and sailor. He was born in New York City in 1846, the...
Leslie Pinckney Hill (1880-1960)
Leslie Pinckney Hill was an educator, author, poet, dramatist, and community leader. He was born in Lynchburg, Virginia on May...
