Chicago’s Rich Legacy of Black Literary and Artistic Genius
Chicago has long been a fertile ground for African-American creativity and cultural expression. From pioneering authors and playwrights to groundbreaking filmmakers and historians, the city has produced some of the most influential Black voices in America.
Let’s start with the literary icons. Gwendolyn Brooks was not only the first Black author to win the Pulitzer Prize for her 1950 book of poetry ‘Annie Allen’, but she also served as the Poet Laureate of Illinois. Her contemporary Richard Wright left an indelible mark with seminal novels like ‘Native Son’ and ‘Black Boy’ that exposed the harsh realities of Black life in America.
The theater world saw its own trailblazer in Lorraine Hansberry, whose play ‘A Raisin in the Sun’ in 1959 was the first drama by an African-American woman to be produced on Broadway. Poet, playwright and Emmy winner Cyrus Colter also hailed from Chicago, renowned for his work on the landmark TV movie ‘The Autobiography of Miss Jane Pittman.’
On the cinema front, the city can claim William Foster as the pioneer of Black filmmaking. His Foster Photoplay Company, launched in 1910, was the nation’s first Black-owned film production company. More recently, director Shaka King’s acclaimed 2021 film ‘Judas and the Black Messiah’ shone a light on Chicago Black Panther activist Fred Hampton. The Lucas Brothers writers Kenny and Keith were also behind the powerful screenplay.
Chicago’s influence extends beyond the creative arts. Pemon Rami, an author and filmmaker herself, made history by organizing a group photo in 2023 of over 70 Black Chicago authors. And Vivian Harsh, the city’s first Black librarian, established the Vivian G. Harsh Research Collection, preserving crucial African-American history and literature for future generations.
From Gwendolyn Brooks’ poetic mastery to the cinematic storytelling of the Lucas Brothers, Chicago has nurture d a pantheon of Black artists and intellectuals whose impact resonates nationwide. The city’s streets, theaters, libraries and film sets have served as fertile ground where African-American narratives could take root and blossom into works that have inspired and uplifted millions.