Denzel Washington visits Pittsburgh for opening ceremony of August Wilson House

Actor Denzel Washington visited Pittsburgh to participate in the grand opening ceremony of the August Wilson House.

The house on Bedford Avenue in Pittsburgh’s Hill District was the childhood home to the award-winning playwright. The structure recently was restored as a way to commemorate Wilson’s memory.

The renovation took years and was made possible due to a series of grants, exceeding $500,000.

PREVIOUS COVERAGE: $500,000 grant to help restore August Wilson House

Washington directed and starred in Wilson’s play, “Fences,” and its adaptation to film.

“I wanna, you know, thank the community because he’s yours, you’re his, and just share him with the rest of us, and we, I personally thank you for that,” said Washington.

City officials also participated in the ceremony, including Pittsburgh Mayor Ed Gainey.

“There’s not a child in this city who should not know who August Wilson is and today speaks volumes of how far we’ve come to recognizing African American history in this city,” Gainey said.

The restoration included the addition of an outdoor stage for performances.

“It’s a place to come together, to have new voiced be heard,” said Constanza Romero, director of the August Wilson Legacy.

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