Ntozake Shange

Ntozake Shange, Barnard College class of 1970, was a poet, playwright, choreographer, and an artist in every sense. Most famous for her play for colored girls who have considered suicide/when the rainbow is enuf (1975), her contributions to the world of literature, theater, and dance were groundbreaking. Her work addresses issues of injustice, violence, and oppression, and often uses African-American dialect. She was granted a Guggenheim Fellowship for Creative Arts in 1981. Additional awards she was given include Outer Critics Circle Award for Outstanding Broadway Musical and Obie Award for Distinguished Productions.