PERSPECTIVE: Remembering late playwright August Wilson on his birthday

Playwright August Wilson died of liver cancer on Oct. 2, 2005, in Seattle. He was 60, and the “theater’s poet of Black America” was experiencing a rising celebrity. His work gave voice to 100 years of Black history and struggle.& On April 27, Wilson would have turned 79. Since his passing, his reputation has only grown. This is most visible in his hometown, Pittsburgh, where three pillars have emerged that cultivate his legacy. Downtown’s August Wilson African American Cultural Center features The Writer’s Landscape, a permanent exhibition of Wilson’s life and plays. Just up the hill, the home where he was born has been restored as August Wilson House, now functioning as a community arts center. It’s only the third such honor for a Black male writer in America. And, not too far away, the University of Pittsburgh houses the playwright’s archive, which is drawing international attention. Some 25 years ago, I was a reporter with the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette and had the chance to sit with and interview Wilson at a downtown restaurant. In 2002, I began to write a story about his growing influence. I never finished it. Recently, cleaning out my computer, I found the draft.& In the...