The Dramatic Genius of Charles Fuller

This volume is a comprehensive scholarly examination of the life, works, and intellectual legacy of Pulitzer Prize–winning playwright Charles Fuller. Written by Molefi Kete Asante, the book situates Fuller’s dramatic corpus within African American cultural history, political consciousness, and ethical inquiry. Drawing upon historical context, literary criticism, and close textual analysis, the text positions Fuller as a philosophical dramatist whose work addresses enduring questions of justice, identity, and moral responsibility. The book is suitable for graduate and upper-division undergraduate study.

The Dramatic Genius of Charles Fuller is grounded in Afrocentric theory, positioning African agency, historical consciousness, and ethical responsibility as central analytic lenses. Molefi Kete Asante applies Afrocentricity to dramatic criticism, treating Charles Fuller not merely as a playwright but as an intellectual actor engaged in philosophical inquiry. The work integrates dramatic theory, African American historiography, and cultural philosophy, emphasizing how narrative structure, dialogue, and character development function as sites of epistemological meaning.

The text provides significant developmental insight for students and scholars by modeling rigorous critical analysis rooted in culturally grounded theory. It supports intellectual maturation in areas such as ethical reasoning, historical interpretation, and cultural literacy. Pedagogically, the book functions effectively in graduate seminars and advanced undergraduate courses, offering frameworks for analyzing drama as both artistic expression and social intervention.