Pearl of Wisdom: My Conversation with Playwright, Novelist and Poet Pearl Cleage

Throughout my career, as a way to honor women I’ve spoken to at gatherings across the country, I’ve often cited the poem “We Speak Your Names” by the incredible American playwright, novelist and poet Pearl Cleage (pronounced “cleg”). Many of us can recall the names of the extraordinary women who’ve shaped our lives.

Pearl was originally commissioned by Oprah Winfrey to write the piece in celebration of the gifts of the sisterhood – and in recognition of the achievements of women like Dr. Maya Angelou, Coretta Scott King, Toni Morrison, Rosa Parks, Diana Ross, Patti Labelle, Dr. Dorothy Height and other legendary elders. While it was written for these luminaries, the poem, in essence, celebrates all women past and present. Their strength and resilience. Their love and joy. Their faith and fortitude.

I recently sat down for an extraordinary conversation with Pearl at the Alliance Theatre in Atlanta where she is the Distinguished Artist in Residence. We talked about the power of the truth, her passion for theater, the responsibility of storytelling, generational sisterhood, what she’d say to her younger self and, of course, the poem that started it all.

I’m deeply grateful to Pearl for spending time with me and for her wisdom, grace and advice. It was a gift that I fully received and that I’m proud to share with all of you. I hope you find it as inspiring and thought-provoking as I did.

More About Pearl Cleage

Pearl Cleage is an Atlanta-based writer who is currently Distinguished Artist in Residence at the Alliance Theatre. A graduate of Spelman College, she also serves as Atlanta's first Poet Laureate. She is a frequently produced playwright whose dramatic work includes Flyin' West, Blues for an Alabama Sky, A Song for Coretta and Angry, Raucous and Shamelessly Gorgeous. Her newest play, Something Moving: A Meditation on Maynard, was commissioned by Ford's Theatre in Washington, D.C. and will premiere there this Fall before returning to Atlanta in 2024. She is also the bestselling author of eight novels, including What Looks Like Crazy on an Ordinary Day, a memoir and the praise poem We Speak Your Names, commissioned by Oprah Winfrey and written with her husband and frequent collaborator, Zaron W. Burnett, Jr.

Gratitudes

Once again, I feel blessed and highly favored to have interviewed Pearl. Special thanks to Deignan Lomax and Dr. Michael Lomax for their partnership coordinating the interview. Thank you to the Alliance Theatre for their support and providing space for the conversation. And to our video producer and editor Tailiah Breon (@fashionprodigy_ on Instagram) for working her magic.