August Wilson House

1727 Bedford Avenue is looking a bit different these days! What was previously the childhood home of American playwright August Wilson is now a cultural hub for members of Pittsburgh’s Hill District community. Born in 1945, Wilson spent his first thirteen years in a small upstairs apartment in the multifamily home with his mother and five siblings.

What is home to an old man who doesn’t recognize the house where he raised his children – who drives on a highway built atop the street where he learned to ride a bike, whose memories of birthday parties and cookouts are buried under cement? The hill that created Pittsburgh playwright August Wilson and his stories underwent an astonishing transformation throughout the twentieth century, fueled by America’s vision of post-war progress.

Decades after demolition left the “middle heart” of the Hill District a “burned out” ghost of the once-flourishing neighborhood, a home on Bedford Avenue stands as an optimistic glimpse into the future (Whitaker 312). The existing narrative surrounding the Hill District is one of tragedy, stemming from the racial and socioeconomic identity of the neighborhood situated between Oakland and Downtown Pittsburgh.

Where in Pittsburgh did famous musicians like Duke Ellington and Louis Armstrong play when they would stop by and visit? The answer is no other than the oldest African-American community in Pittsburgh: The Hill District. Once a vibrant middle-class neighborhood known for its lively jazz scene, the Hill was also the home of Pulitzer and Tony-winning playwright August Wilson.

August Wilson was a successful poet and playwright, writing some of his plays based on the experiences he had while living in the Hill District. He was born into the Hill District in 1945 named Frederick August Kittel and lived at 1727 Bedford Avenue. He later changed his name to August Wilson in honor of his mother. Unlike many of Pittsburgh’s other neighborhoods at the time of Wilson’s birth, the Hill District was home to many different ethnic peoples.

What is in store for the August Wilson House? As of right now the plans for the future of the building are to make it “useful” to the community. This means that the house will not just be a museum for people to come in, look around and leave. August Wilson wanted his home to be useful to the Hill District community if it was to be preserved. He wanted it to make an impact. The plan is for the house to have rooms that will be available as writing workshops and other outlets for creative expression. There will be a café outside where people can come to gather and socialize.

August Wilson is an inspiration for most, if not all, of the African American community, especially those in Pittsburgh’s Hill District. Growing up with a lot stacked against him, Wilson was able to persevere and make his way on to the big stage through his works in theatre and in the communities he was a part of. He would go on to use his power and stardom to reach out to African Americans with all interests, although he was more focused on giving those interested in the arts a voice.