Trivia

His mother was African-American, his father was a white German immigrant.

He departed from school in the ninth grade after being accused of plagiarism, but knew he wanted to be a poet. He educated himself by reading the books at the public library.

Received the posthumous Academy Award nomination for Best Screenplay for the period drama Fences (2016).

Changed his name from Frederick August Kittel to August Wilson after his father's death. (1965)

Won Broadway's 1987 Tony Award as author of Best Play winner "Fences". He has also been nominated six other times as author of a Best Play nominee: in 1985 for "Ma Rainey's Black Bottom", in 1988 for "Joe Turner's Come and Gone", in 1990 for "The Piano Lesson", in 1992 for "Two Trains Running", in 1996 for "Seven Guitars", and in 2001 for "King Hedley II".

His play "Jitney", performed at the Royal National Theatre: Lyttelton, was awarded the Laurence Olivier Theatre Award for Best New Play of 2002. (2002)

Diagnosed with inoperable liver cancer. (2005)

Was a highly successful playwright.

Wrote his play "Jitney" in only 10 days in bars on St. Paul's Cathedral Hill. Sumbitted the first draft to Minneapolis's Playwright Center and received a $200-a-month Jerome Fellowship to see the play read professionally.

Following his death, he was interred at Greenwood Cemetery in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.

He and his wife, costume designer Constanza Romero, had one daughter, Azula Carmen Wilson, in 1997. Wilson and his first wife, Brenda Burton, had a daughter, Sakina Ansari, in 1969.

Won the 1987 Pulitzer Prize for Drama for the play "Fences" and the 1990 Pulitzer Prize for Drama for the play "The Piano Lesson". He was nominated for the 1989 Pulitzer Prize for Drama for the play "Joe Turner's Come and Gone", the 1992 Pulitzer Prize for Drama for the play "Two Trains Running", the 1995 Pulitzer Prize for Drama for the play "Seven Guitars" and the 2000 Pulitzer Prize for Drama for the play "King Hedley II".

His play "Seven Guitars" at the Congo Square Theatre Company in Chicago, Illinois was awarded the 2005 Joseph Jefferson Award for Play Production.

His play "The Piano Lesson" at the Court Theatre in Chicago, Illinois was nominated for the 2009 Joseph Jefferson Award for Best Production of a Play (Large).

Biography in: "The Scribner Encyclopedia of American Lives". Volume 7, 2003-2005, pages 574-576. Farmington Hills, MI: Thomson Gale (2007).

His play "Ma Rainey's Black Bottom" at the Court Theatre in Chicago, Illinois was nominated for the 2010 Joseph Jefferson Award for Production of a Play (Large).

His play "Jitney" at the Court Theatre in Chicago, Illinois was nominated for the 2013 Joseph Jefferson Equity Award for Large Play Production.

His play "King Hedley II" at the Congo Square Theatre Company in Chicago, Illinois was nominated for the 2014 Joseph Jefferson Equity Award for Midsize Play Production.

His play "Seven Guitars" at the Court Theatre in Chicago, Illinois was nominated for the 2014 Joseph Jefferson Equity Award for Large Play Production.

His play "The Piano Lesson" at Center Theatre Group/Ahmanson Theatre production at the James A. Doolittle Theatre (University of California) in Los Angeles, California was awarded the 1990 Drama-Logue Award for Production.

His play "The Piano Lesson" on Broadway in New York City was nominated for the 1990 Antoinette Perry (Tony) Award for Best Play.

He was awarded the 1990 Drama-Logue Award for Best Writing for "The Piano Lesson" in a Center Theatre Group/Ahmanson and Yale Repertory Theatre production at the James A. Doolittle Theatre (University of California) in Los Angeles, California.

His play "The Piano Lesson" was awarded the 1990 Pulitzer Prize for Playwriting.

He was awarded the 1996 Drama Logue Award for Writing of "Seven Guitars" at the Ahmanson Theatre in Los Angeles, California.

His play "Seven Guitars" on Broadway in New York City was nominated for the 1996 Antoinette Perry (Tony) Award for Best Play.

His play "Seven Guitars" at Ahmanson Theatre in Los Angeles, California was awarded the 1996 Drama Logue Award for Production.

The cast of "Jitney" (off-Broadway in New York City) was awarded the 1999-2000 OBIE Award for Excellence for Ensemble Cast.

His play "Jitney" at the Mark Taper Forum Theatre in Los Angeles, California was awarded the 2000 Back Stage Garland Award for Production.

The cast of "Jitney" (off-Broadway) was awarded the 2000 New York Drama Desk Award for Special Award for Ensemble Cast.

His play "Jitney" was awarded the 2000-2001 New York Outer Critics Circle Award for Best Off-Broadway Play in New York City.

His play "Jitney" in West End London, England was awarded the 2000 Laurence Olivier Award for Best New Play.

His play "King Hedley II" on Broadway in New York City was nominated for the 2001 Antoinette Perry (Tony) Award for Best Play.

His play "Jitney" on Broadway in New York City was awarded the 1999-2000 New York Drama Critics Circle Award for Best New Play.

His play "Gem of the Ocean" at the Mark Taper Forum Theatre in Los Angeles, California was awarded the 2003 Los Angeles Stage Alliance Ovation Award for Best World Premiere Play.

He was awarded the 2007 NAACP Theatre Award for Playwriting for "Radio Golf" at the Mark Taper Forum Theatre in Los Angeles, California.

His play "Joe Turner's Come and Gone" at the Mark Taper Forum Theatre in Los Angeles, California was awarded the 2013 Los Angeles Stage Alliance Ovation Award for Best Production of a Play (Large Theatre).

His play "Jitney" at the Congo Square Theatre Company in Chicago, Illinois was nominated for the 2018 Joseph Jefferson Equity Awards for Midsize Play Production and Play Ensemble.

His play "Radio Golf" at the Court Theatre in Chicago, Illinois was nominated for the 2019 Equity Joseph Jefferson Award for Large Play Production.

He was posthumously awarded a Star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame for Live Theatre at 1611 Vine Street in Hollywood, California on January 7, 2025. Denzel Washington, Danielle Deadwyler and the cast and filmmakers from The Piano Lesson (2024) were guest speakers at the ceremony. His Walk of Fame star is located in front of the Ricardo Montalban Theatre.