Nationally-recognized playwright, poet and novelist Pearl Cleage placed her works at the University’s Manuscripts, Archives and Rare Book Library (MARBL), according to an Aug. 28 University press release.

Randall Burkett, Emory’s curator of African American collections said in the press release that Cleage’s papers “add luster to our holdings of brilliant African American women writers, artists and activists.”

According to the press release, Cleage said she decided to place her papers with MARBL after holding discussions with Burkett and late professor Rudolph Byrd.

“Emory was a place that would value the work that I’ve done and make the papers available in a way that would make it productive to place them there,” Cleage said.

Cleage’s donation will include her correspondences, printed material, photographs as well as manuscripts and typescripts of drafts of her writing, according to the press release.

Cleage will join other distinguished African American women writers, artists and activists including Camille Billops, Elaine Brown, Mildred Thompson and Alice Walker.

Burkett said Cleage fits well in this group of leading creative figures of the 20th and 21st centuries, according to the press release.

Cleage is an Atlanta resident and is best known for her novels What Looks like Crazy on an Ordinary Day and Babylon Sisters as well as her plays Blues for an Alabama Sky and Flyin’ West.

What I Learned in Paris, Cleage’s latest production, is running from Sept. 5-30 at the Alliance Theatre in Atlanta.

– By Nicholas Sommariva 

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