August Wilson’s ‘Fences’ at Alabama Shakespeare Festival Reflects a Real Alabama Story

cityofbirmingham.org As Alabama Shakespeare Festival brings August Wilson’s Fences to the stage, audiences are seeing more than a celebrated American drama. The Pulitzer Prize and Tony Award-winning play follows Troy Maxson, a former Negro League baseball player whose dreams of reaching the Major Leagues were denied by the racial barriers of his era. That storyline has a powerful connection to Alabama history. During discussions highlighted by the Negro Southern League Museum (NSLM), parallels have been drawn between Troy Maxson’s fictional experience and the life of Sam Bankhead, one of Alabama’s greatest Negro League stars. Born in Alabama and known for his outstanding versatility and strong throwing arm, Bankhead built an impressive career with teams including the Birmingham Black Barons, Pittsburgh Crawfords, and Homestead Grays. Like Troy Maxson, Sam Bankhead played at an elite level during a time when segregation limited opportunities for Black athletes.

This excerpt comes from the named source. Read the original for the full reporting.