Mary P. Burrill facts for kids

Mary P. Burrill (born August 1881 – died March 13, 1946) was an important African-American playwright. She lived in the early 1900s during a time called the Harlem Renaissance. This was a period when Black artists, writers, and musicians created amazing works.

Mary Burrill wrote plays about the experiences of Black people. She focused on their culture and daily lives. She also wrote about important Black leaders and women who helped with education. Her plays inspired many students, including Willis Richardson, to become playwrights themselves.

Early Life and Education

Mary Powell Burrill was born in August 1881 in Washington, D.C. Her parents were John H. and Clara E. Burrill. In 1901, she finished high school at M Street High School. This school was one of the best Black high schools in the country.

Later, Mary's family moved to Boston, Massachusetts. She went to Emerson College of Oratory. She earned a diploma there in 1904.

Career as a Teacher and Playwright

After college, Burrill went back to Washington, D.C. From 1905 until 1944, she taught English, history, and drama. She taught at Dunbar High School, her old school, and Armstrong High. For 38 years, she also directed plays and music shows. These shows were put on at Dunbar and around Washington, D.C.

Many of Burrill’s students became famous writers and educators. They were active in the Harlem Renaissance. One of her students was Willis Richardson. He was the first African-American playwright to have a play on Broadway in New York City. Another student was May Miller. She published her first play, Pandora's Box, while still in high school.

In 1919, two of Mary Burrill’s most famous plays were published. These were They That Sit in Darkness and Aftermath. Aftermath appeared in a magazine called The Liberator. Burrill’s plays were known as protest plays. They spoke out for fairness in race and gender issues.

Mary Burrill also hosted literary gatherings at her home. People called her home “the Half-Way House.” It was a place where writers and artists could share ideas. Famous writers like Jean Toomer and Georgia Douglas Johnson visited. Burrill also went to gatherings at Johnson's S Street Salon. There, women activists talked about important issues. They discussed women's rights and challenges for African-American families.

They That Sit in Darkness Play

This play was written in 1919. It is a one-act play, meaning it is short. It shows the struggles of poor Black families with many children. The main character is Malinda Jasper, a 38-year-old woman. She works full-time and cares for her 10 children. Her husband works so much that he never sees their children awake.

Malinda dies from being overworked and exhausted. Her 17-year-old daughter then has to take care of the family. This means she cannot go to college as she had planned. This situation shows how poverty can continue from one generation to the next. The play also uses a Southern accent. This was a way for playwrights to show the real voices of people.

Aftermath Play

This play is set in South Carolina. It tells the story of John, an African-American soldier. He returns home from World War I. He finds out that his father has been killed by a mob. John had been a hero in the war. He fought off 20 German soldiers by himself. This saved the lives of everyone in his army company.

Aftermath (1919) was a very powerful play. It showed John as a brave Black man who stood up against unfair treatment. The play was performed in New York City in 1928. It was put on by the Krigwa Players, a Black theater group.

Personal Life and Partnership

Mary Burrill lived with Lucy Diggs Slowe, an English teacher. They met in 1912. After a few years, Slowe moved to Washington, D.C. to teach. She and Burrill bought a house together. They lived together for 25 years. Their friends, who were mostly Black women educators, saw them as a couple.

In 1922, Lucy Slowe became the Dean of Women at Howard University. This was a very important job. She was the first Black woman to be a dean at any American university. She and Burrill bought a house at 1256 Kearney Street. They lived there for 15 years. Lucy Slowe passed away in 1937.

Death and Legacy

After Lucy Slowe died, Mary Burrill moved to an apartment. She retired from teaching at Dunbar High School in 1944. Then she moved to New York City. Mary Burrill died on March 13, 1946, when she was in her early 60s. She is buried at Woodlawn Cemetery in Washington, D.C.

The house where Mary Burrill and Lucy Diggs Slowe lived is now famous. It is called the Slowe-Burrill House. In 2020, it was added to the National Register of Historic Places. This means it is an important historical site.

See also

In Spanish: Mary P. Burrill para niños