Dubose Heyward
Edwin DuBose Heyward (August 31, 1885 – June 16, 1940) was an influential American novelist, playwright, and poet, renowned for his work that often depicted the lives of African Americans in Charleston, South Carolina. Born into a family with deep roots in the Charleston aristocracy, Heyward was frequently ill as a child, suffering from polio, typhoid fever, and pleurisy. Despite dropping out of high school, he nurtured a lifelong passion for literature.
Heyward initially supported himself as a successful insurance agent, but his literary aspirations led him to write poetry and short stories, focusing on the Gullah culture and the Black community in Charleston. His first major work, the novel "Porgy" (1925), became the foundation for a play co-adapted with his wife Dorothy in 1927, and later transformed into the groundbreaking opera "Porgy and Bess" (1935) with music by George Gershwin and lyrics by Heyward and Ira Gershwin. This opera, celebrated for its portrayal of African American life, produced timeless songs like "Summertime" and "I Love You Porgy."
Heyward also authored other novels such as "Mamba's Daughters" (1929) and "Brass Ankle" (1931), and wrote the screenplay for the 1933 film "The Emperor Jones" starring Paul Robeson. He and his wife were pivotal in bringing Southern literature to the forefront, co-founding the Poetry Society of South Carolina. His children's book, "The Country Bunny and the Little Gold Shoes" (1939), remains a classic.
Heyward's work significantly contributed to American literature and theater, capturing the cultural essence of the South and the complexities of race relations during his time. He passed away in Tryon, North Carolina, at the age of 54.
App
