Meet the PlayWright
Who is pearl Cleage?Pearl Cleage, of Detroit, Michigan is an author as well as a playwright based out of Atlanta, Georgia. She was born on December 7, 1948 in Springfield, Massachusetts to parents, Doris Graham and Albert B. Cleage Jr. Her childhood was spent in Detroit, Michigan. Her father was a minister in the area and was well-known for his work in the civil rights movement, while her mother was a school teacher. Cleage remained in Detroit until her enrollment into Howard University in 1966, majoring in playwriting and dramatic literature. She later transferred to Spelman College gaining her bachelor's degree in drama.
The playwright, essayist, journalist, and noevelist is the mother of one daughter, Deignan and grandmother to two grandchildren. She is married to Zaron W. Burnett, Jr., in whom she often times collaborates with on different works. |
Significance
Pearl Cleage is a significant figure in American theatre and English culture, especially in regards to the African American community. She writes about relevant issues that should be addressed such as: family, healthcare, race, gender, and domestic abuse issues. She makes a unique connection to women audiences through the inclusion of subjects pertaining to black feminism. Cleage’s plays not only highlight issues for a specific time, which reiterates on historical events in time, but also broadcasts issues that are necessary for discussion in our current society. Pearl Cleage was chosen for these reasons and, also because of the voice she has given young women, such as ourselves. Pearl Cleage writes based off experiences and her plays reflect memories of her life. These memories once inscribed in her personal journals, have contributed to the creation of her plays, which have been very successful.