RICHARDSON, WILLIS

(1889-1977)

Born in Wilmington, North Carolina, Willis Richardson moved to Washington, D.C., with his family and worked as a clerk in the U.S. Department of Engraving and Printing. Richardson's first play,The Deacon's Awakening, was published inCrisismagazine. He became the first African American playwright to have a nonMusicAL work on Broadway when his one-actfolk dramaThe Chip Woman's Fortune(1923) was presented at the Frazee Theatre under the auspices of the Lafayette Theatre following performances at Chicago's Ethiopian Art Theatre. Richardson's playMortgagedwas published inThe New Negroin 1925, and that same year he wonCrisismagazine's playwriting contest withCompromise, the first play by a black writer staged by Cleveland'sCharles GilpinPlayers. He won theCrisisaward again in 1926 forBoot-Black Loverand in 1928 was the recipient of the Edith Schwab Cup at Yale for his playThe Broken Banjo. Richardson founded the Washington, D.C., wing of theKRIGWA Players, edited three collections of black-themed plays, and wrote 30 one-acts and five full-length plays focusing on African American history and black life in America.