August Wilson (1945-2005) was a Pittsburgh-born playwright best known for his cycle of ten plays referred to as the American Century Cycle that depict the lives and experiences of African Americans throughout the twentieth century. The August Wilson Archive contains the documentation relating to his writing career including drafts of each of his published and unpublished plays along with correspondence and other writings. Also included are notebooks, artwork, documentation on several hundred productions of his plays, audio-visual recordings, awards, photographs, and more.

The August Wilson Archive has strong cultural and sociological relevance in its home city of Pittsburgh. There is a myriad of ways to get involved and work with the collection. This exhibit is curated by University Preparatory Milliones junior student, Trinidy Manison. This exhibit grapples with one of Wilson’s heaviest plays, King Hedley II, and its themes of urban blight, incarceration, and Black people’s struggle to be heard.