African American Culture in Pittsburgh

Bright trumpet and trombone riffs of the resident Pittsburgh Jazz Orchestra. Soul dance performances and round-table discussions of the significance of hip hop music around the world. DJing workshops. African American film festivals and family read-alouds.

They’re just a few of the dozens of programs planned for visitors of the new August Wilson Center for African American Culture in Pittsburgh. And they’re all aimed at showcasing the wealth and diversity of African American culture in Pittsburgh and throughout the United States.

The August Wilson Center–which was formerly known as the African American Culture Center of Greater Pittsburgh–opened the doors on its striking new glass and steel facility in downtown Pittsburgh on September 19. And while the cultural center offers visual art galleries and historical displays, the AWC promises to be much more to its visitors than merely a museum.

A 486-seat theater hosts concerts and plays. A 200-seat multipurpose room features smaller performances and rehearsal space. Classrooms and meeting spaces allow for educational performances, workshops and lectures. Two 4,000-square-foot galleries house museum displays, including changing visual arts shows and a permanent installation recounting the history of African Americans in Western Pennsylvania.

And since no celebration is complete without food, the August Wilson Center also features a Music Café. Visitors can dine on traditional African American favorites while listening to live musicians from Pittsburgh and across the nation. A gift shop sells relevant books and music, and public gathering spaces lie throughout the building as well as in outdoor terraces.

The latest addition to Pittsburgh’s Cultural District, the AWC is named for Pittsburgh native August Wilson, a playwright who chronicled a broad range of African American experiences in his plays. His most famous work was a 10-play series called the Pittsburgh Cycle that was set nearly exclusively in Pittsburgh’s Hill District, where Wilson was raised. Wilson achieved notoriety as the first African American to have two plays running simultaneously on Broadway and as one of only seven African Americans to receive two Pulitzer Prizes.

The new August Wilson Center for African American Culture is located at Liberty Avenue and 10th Street in downtown Pittsburgh’s Cultural District. You can get more information at www.AugustWilsonCenter.org or at www.visitpittsburgh.com.

–Amy S. Eckert, Red Editorial Staff
–Photo courtesy the August Wilson Center for African American Culture