The Pioneering Playwright

Name:
Angelina Weld Grimké

Born:
February 27, 1880/Boston, Massachusetts

Died:
June 10, 1958/New York City, New York

Occupation:
Educator, journalist, poet, playwright

What Makes Her Bitchin’:
A member of the Harlem Renaissance, Angelina was one of the first African-American women to have a play performed publicly. Premiering in 1916, Rachel was also one of the first theatrical productions to protest racially-motivated violence against Black-Americans.

Betcha’ Didn’t Know:
Examining her personal correspondence and published prose, numerous modern literary critics believe that Angelina was either bisexual or a lesbian. This would make her our first LGBT History Bitch!

For more about this literary luminary, check-out:

Angelina Weld Grimkè (1880-1958) (University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign)

Angelina Weld Grimkè (The University of Minnesota)

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