Gilbert Moses facts for kids

Gilbert Moses III was an American director who lived from 1942 to 1995. He was also a key person in the Civil Rights Movement. He worked with the Student Non-Violent Coordinating Committee (SNCC). He also started a traveling theater group called the Free Southern Theater, which performed across the Southern United States in the 1960s.

Early Life and Education

Gilbert Moses was born in Cleveland, Ohio. He started acting when he was a child at a place called Karamu House. He later studied at Oberlin College and spent a year at the Sorbonne University in Paris. He left college to join the Civil Rights movement.

Directing Career

Gilbert Moses helped create the Free Southern Theater company. This group was very important for African-American theater. It helped new artists and shared powerful stories.

Broadway and Theater Work

In 1971, Moses made his first appearance on Broadway as a director. His show, Ain't Supposed to Die a Natural Death, was a big success. He was nominated for a Tony Award and won the Drama Desk Award for Most Promising Director.

He also directed plays off-Broadway. He won an Obie Award for Slave Ship in 1969. In 1975, he won the New York Drama Critics' Circle Award for The Taking of Miss Janie.

Television and Film Projects

Gilbert Moses directed many TV shows and movies. He worked on popular TV series like Benson, Ghostwriter, and Law & Order. He also directed several episodes of the famous mini-series Roots.

He directed a number of television movies too. His only feature films were Willie Dynamite (1974) and The Fish That Saved Pittsburgh (1979).

Personal Life

Gilbert Moses was married three times. His wives were actress Denise Nicholas, Wilma Butler, and singer Dee Dee Bridgewater. He had two daughters, Tsia and China.

Death

Gilbert Moses passed away on April 15, 1995, in New York City. He was 52 years old. He died from a type of cancer called multiple myeloma.