August Wilson House Receives $5 Million Support from Denzel Washington

The project to restore the August Wilson House, led Daisy Wilson Artist Community and headed by executive director Paul A. Ellis Jr., Mr. Wilson’s nephew, received a boost from actor Denzel Washington. In late September, Washington gifted $5 million to the project at a community ceremony, adding his name to a list of supporters that includes Oprah Winfrey, Shonda Rhimes, Spike Lee, and Antoine Fuqua.

According to the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, during the ceremony, "Mr. Ellis revealed a new slogan -— “Claim What Is Yours” for the project, taken from his uncle’s words. Speaking about the way African-Americans see themselves and God, Mr. Wilson said, 'All over the world, nobody has a God who doesn't resemble them. Except black Americans. They can't even see they're worshipping someone else's God, because they want so badly to assimilate, to get the fruits of society. The message of America is 'Leave your Africanness outside the door.' My message is 'Claim what is yours.' "

Read the full article here.

Published: October 05, 2018