Question

Who is the leading american playwright of current era, whose plays, including ma rainey's black bottom, fences and the piano lesson, concern an entire twentieth century history of black america?

a. august wilson
b. langston hughes
c. amiri baraka
d. lorraine hansberry?

Answer 1

A. August Wilson

August Wilson was an award winning playwright earning both a Pulitzer and a Tony for his plays. His play Fences was a Broadway play an arguably his most famous play. He made a cultural mark on the city of Pittsburgh with cultural centers named in his honor.

Wilson's plays told the story of African Americans living in the US. Ma Rainey's Black Bottom is set in Jazz Age Chicago highlighting the music and culture of 1920s jazz. Piano Lesson was set in the 1930s and showcased the experience of sharecroppers during the Great Depression. Fences showcases the lives of African Americans in the 1950s as they experienced breaking through civil rights barriers.