Excerpt from the Introduction of August Wilson's American Century The Power of Place August Wilson occupies a unique place in the history of American theater. His main body of work, the so-called Pittsburgh Cycle, consists of ten plays, each set in a different decade of the twentieth century and all but one set in Pittsburgh. Looked at individually, the plays are notable for featuring unforgettable characters and compelling dialogue. Looked at collectively, the Pittsburgh Cycle is a remarkable, century-long theatrical history. Although the plays are not an exhaustive interpretation of Black life in America, Wilson consciously sought to have each play in the cycle-- Gem of the Ocean , Joe Turner's Come and Gone , Ma Rainey's Black Bottom , The Piano Lesson , Seven Guitars , Fences , Two Trains Running , Jitney , King Hedley II , and Radio Golf --delve into "one of the most important questions that blacks confronted" in a specific decade. No other playwright--certainly none in the United States--has written a comparable set of excellent plays set in the same place and treating a common topic over an extended period of time. Eugene O'Neill once attempted such a feat, but ultimately abandoned the effort. Wilson's success in fulfilling such an ambitious project is unprecedented, and has enshrined him in the pantheon of American playwrights.

Through his plays, Wilson gave dignity and respect to the lives of Pittsburgh's working-class Black residents that he carefully observed and came to value. In his plays, those residents demand respect and understanding. They burn down a mill in protest of a fellow worker's unnecessary death. They reclaim their racial identity by participating in African-based rituals. They argue vigorously about when certain trains did and did not pass through the city. A blues performer believes fame and fortune will soon be his, a former star of the Negro Leagues complains about not getting the chance to play in the majors, and a waitress scars her legs so that men will focus more on her personality than on her looks. Unlicensed cab drivers worry about losing their station to urban renewal, pessimism about the future causes women to obtain abortions, and politicians scheme to "redevelop" the neighborhood by bringing in a Starbucks and other "amenities." In making Pittsburgh the setting for his plays, Wilson put his hometown on the world-cultural map, doing for Pittsburgh what William Faulkner did for Oxford, Mississippi, and James Joyce for Dublin, Ireland.

Today, thanks to the Pittsburgh Cycle, the city occupies an iconic place in the story of America in general and of Black America in particular. Among theatergoers and many others, Pittsburgh's Hill District has challenged Harlem as the metaphorical site of the urban Black experience. This book explores how Pittsburgh influenced both Wilson's identity and his accomplishments--the life experiences that generated them, and the consequences for Wilson himself, his work, and his literary career.