Gem of the Ocean

August Wilson’s play Gem of the Ocean premiered in 2003 and was published the same year. It is the chronologically the first installment in Wilson’s Century Cycle, a series of 10 plays that examine the experiences of Black people during the 20th century. Wilson won two Pulitzer Prizes for Century Cycle plays, the first for Fences in 1987, and the second for The Piano Lesson in 1990.

Gem of the Ocean begins in 1904 and chronicles the first decade of the 20th century, depicting the struggles of Black people to redefine themselves post-emancipation and attain economic freedom in the face of institutional racism. It engages with several themes that run through the Century Cycle and paints a complex, rich portrait both of the Black community in Pittsburgh’s Hill District, and of the broader struggles of Black communities all over the country in the period following the end of the Civil War.

This guide refers to the 2006 edition of the play published by the Theatre Communications Group.

Content Warning: This guide discusses racism, enslavement, and racialized violence, which the source text depicts. Gem of the Ocean also includes outdated and racist language, including slurs such as the n-word.