Gainey, Black leaders launch August Wilson legacy brick fundraiser

Pulitzer Prize-winning playwright August Wilson was the 1994 commencement speaker at Morgan State University in Maryland, and one of the graduates in the audience was Ed Gainey.

“I look back on this, years later, because here’s a gentleman … who wrote ‘Radio Golf,’ where he talked about the first Black mayor of the city of Pittsburgh and he’s giving a commencement speech at Morgan State University to a kid in the audience that didn’t even realize he would become the first Black mayor of the city of Pittsburgh,” Pittsburgh Mayor Ed Gainey said at a press event on Thursday.

Gainey joined with members of Black arts organizations and Black-led organizations on Thursday to highlight the August Wilson Legacy Brick Program. People can purchase a brick, which can be inscribed with their name or in honor of a loved one, to celebrate a milestone or recognize an organization or achievement.

The bricks will be installed on the side and at the front of the August Wilson House in Pittsburgh’s Hill District. There are four donation levels — $100, $250, $500 and $1,000.

August Wilson House executive director Denise Turner said the mission of the fundraiser is to continue the restoration of Wilson’s childhood home, to have robust programming and to offer fellowships and opportunities for artist residencies.

“We believe that investment in the community begins at home,” Turner said. “We decided to do something to honor the community and allow them to elevate and amplify their legacy and history for their families as well. Leave your mark. Help us preserve the history of the Hill District and honor the enduring legacy of August Wilson, right where it all began.”

This is more than a fundraiser, Turner said.

“It’s a chance to submit your connection to history and it ensures that August Wilson’s legacy and the spirit of our community continue to inspire generations to come,” she said.

Growing the arts is how you grow a city, Gainey said, and is a way to get people to believe that their culture is being seen.

“I am proud to stand here on the sacred ground in the heart of the Hill District, also as a daughter of the Hill District,” said Mercedes Williams, president of The National Pan-Hellenic Council Pittsburgh Chapter, a coalition of the nine largest historically Black Greek-letter fraternities and sororities. “August Wilson had a life that captured the spirit of our people, our laughter, our creativity and our bonds. This is an opportunity to honor his greatness.”

Culture is one of the greatest assets of this city, Gainey said.

“And a lot of times, we don’t honor our culture the way we should,” Gainey said. “August Wilson was a great man who came out of the Hill District. He’s someone that nationally is renowned for his playwriting ability and his ability to tell a story about our city. With this campaign, we will be able to better talk about August Wilson, be able to lift him up.”