Edgar Nkosi White

Edgar Nkosi White is a playwright and novelist. His work has been performed throughout the world from New York to New Zealand. His published work includes: The Rising, The Crucificado, Underground, The Lament for Rastafari, Redemption Song, The Nine Night, Omar at Christmas and The Children of Night. He has also been a frequent contributor to Monthly Review as well as Writer in Residence at New York City College where he also taught Creative Writing.

His writing career began with the poet and writer, Langston Hughes, who was the first to herald his work and was instrumental in the publication of his first book, Underground, with William and Morrow publishers. The theatre began for him with Joseph Papp at the New York Public Theater where five of his plays were performed. The first production of The Mummers Play led to tours with Shakespeare Public Theater productions in Central Park. A performance of his play, Lament for Rastafari at Ellen Stewart’s world famous Café La Mama Theatre led to productions in England both on stage and radio drama with the BBC. He also contributed to the BBC television series ‘Black Silk’. Upon returning to the United States, the author received a Rockefeller award and became a member of the New Dramatist. Productions of two of his plays, Trance and I Marcus Garvey toured Canada in 2012. 

He attended City College of New York, New York University and the Yale School of Drama. The author also attended New York Theological Seminary and has had a very close association with the Cathedral of St. John the Divine in New York. He is an ordained minister and has made Prison Ministry a major factor in his life. He has performed frequent theatre workshops at Sing Sing Correctional Facility.