“I write for young girls of color, for girls who don’t even exist yet, so that there is something there for them when they arrive. I can only change how they live, not how they think.”
African American playwright, poet, and novelist Ntozake Shange was best known for her groundbreaking play “For Colored Girls Who Have Considered Suicide/When the Rainbow Is Enuf” (1976). Her work blended art forms including poetry, dance, and drama to illuminate the experiences of Black women in America. Shange challenged traditional theater through her unique fusion of art and aimed to explore themes of race, gender, and identity. Beyond her contributions to the stage, Shange has written novels, essays, and poetry collections solidifying her enduring testament to confront and dismantle societal norms.
