Pearl Cleage (/klɛɡ/ KLEG; born December 7, 1948) is an African-American playwright, essayist, novelist, poet and political activist.
[9] She listened to writers speaking at her father's church and met prominent figures of the Civil Rights Movement as they stopped by her house on their way to rallies, both of which were experiences that shaped her future aspirations and career.
[1] Prior to pursuing a career in creative writing, in the 1970s, she was the press secretary and speechwriter for Maynard Jackson, Atlanta's first Black Mayor.
[16] Not only is Cleage a member of the relatively small group of African American female playwrights, but it is made even smaller by her age and notable contributions to major theaters.
[7] In the 1990s, she produced three of her most well-known works (Flyin' West (1992), Blues for an Alabama Sky (1995) and Bourbon at the Border (1997)) at the Alliance Theatre in partnership with artistic director Kenny Leon.
[3][4] In 1996, Blues for an Alabama Sky (1995) was performed as part of the Cultural Olympiad coinciding with the Summer Olympics held in Atlanta that year.
[4] She notably writes about topics at the intersection of sexism and racism, specifically on issues such as domestic violence and rape in the black community.
[19] In 1969, Cleage married Michael Lomax, an Atlanta politician and past president of Dillard University in New Orleans, Louisiana.
[20] In 2014, Cleage published a compilation of her personal journal entries titled, Things I Should Have Told My Daughter: Lies, Lessons, and Love Affairs, in which chronicles her life from age 11 through the following 18 years.
[9] In the book, she boldly chronicles the details of her life from puberty to having an abortion, affairs with married men, and the use of alcohol and other drugs when she felt stuck and out of touch with creativity for her writing.
[21] As noted in an article by Frida Scott Giles, Cleage self-identifies as "a third[-]generation black nationalist and a radical feminist".
[6] Through her life and works, Cleage emphasizes and exemplifies the idea of "Free Womanhood," a term she coined with its first use in her speech at the Spelman College convocation in 1995.
[22] Through this theme and way of life, Cleage imparts a message of hope and motivation to Black women in a world where they are victimized from multiple angles.
[22] In the introduction to her book, Mad at Miles: A Black Woman's Guide to Truth (1990), she states: "I am writing to expose and explore the point where racism and sexism meet.
[citation needed] Other inspirations came from her being the owner of a book store and cultural center at one of her fathers' congregations of The Shrine of the Black Madonna.
[citation needed] Cleage does not shy away from showcasing sensitive topics in her works, particularly as they relate to complex issues surrounding race and gender, such as portrayal of domestic violence.
[2] The same characters appear throughout these three plays, and, as noted in an essay by Benjamin Sammons, they share the common themes of "violence, freedom, and traumatic memory" present in the lives of Black communities.
[21] Cleage is motivated by a sense of responsibility to share the dark truths, while simultaneously imparting a message of hope and love for humanity, embracing all of its flaws.
[4] They have been applauded in major publications, including the New York Times, Washington Post, and Essence magazine, as well as recognized by other established writers.
[3] It was picked for Oprah's Book Club in September 1998[34] and later won the Black Caucus of the American Library Association Literary Award.
[39] The Goodman Theatre hosted a Pearl Cleage Fest from September 14 - October 15, 2023 that included productions of her plays at several Chicago theaters plus readings, workshops, and other events.