Charles Gordone (October 12, 1925 â€" November 16, 1995) was an
American playwright, actor, director, and educator. He was the first
African American to win the annual Pulitzer Prize for Drama and he
devoted much of his professional life to the pursuit of multi-racial
American theater and racial unity.Born Charles Edward Fleming in
Cleveland, Ohio to Charles and Camille (née Morgan) Fleming, of
African-American, Native American, and European heritage. With his
brothers Jack and Stanley and his sister Shirley, he grew up in
Elkhart, Indiana, where he attended Elkhart High School. Camille
Fleming remarried William L. Gordon and later had Gordone's sister
Leah Geraldine.In his 20s, Gordone served in the U.S. Air Force, and
afterwards, moved to California, where he soon married his first wife
Juanita Barton in 1948. Together, they had two children: Stephen
Gordone and Judy Ann Riser. Later, the couple parted ways and Barton
ensconced himself in theater at Los Angeles City College and
California State University, Los Angeles. He then moved to New York
City, where he waited tables and pursued an acting career.In the late
1950s, Charles met his second wife Jeanne Warner in Greenwich Village,
New York City, where he settled. In the 1960s, they had one child
together (Leah-Carla Gordone). During the 1960s revolution, "open
marriages" were common, and Charles met artist Nancy Meadows. Together
they had a son David Brent Gordone, yet Charles Gordone remained with
Jeanne Warner raising their daughter Leah-Carla in New York City over
the years while Nancy Meadows left her position with the Washington
Post and traveled around with her son David as a member of Wavy
Gravy's Hog Farm (a 1960s hippie communal/caravan group that
coordinated light shows for major concerts around the U.S., including
the first Woodstock Concert).
American playwright, actor, director, and educator. He was the first
African American to win the annual Pulitzer Prize for Drama and he
devoted much of his professional life to the pursuit of multi-racial
American theater and racial unity.Born Charles Edward Fleming in
Cleveland, Ohio to Charles and Camille (née Morgan) Fleming, of
African-American, Native American, and European heritage. With his
brothers Jack and Stanley and his sister Shirley, he grew up in
Elkhart, Indiana, where he attended Elkhart High School. Camille
Fleming remarried William L. Gordon and later had Gordone's sister
Leah Geraldine.In his 20s, Gordone served in the U.S. Air Force, and
afterwards, moved to California, where he soon married his first wife
Juanita Barton in 1948. Together, they had two children: Stephen
Gordone and Judy Ann Riser. Later, the couple parted ways and Barton
ensconced himself in theater at Los Angeles City College and
California State University, Los Angeles. He then moved to New York
City, where he waited tables and pursued an acting career.In the late
1950s, Charles met his second wife Jeanne Warner in Greenwich Village,
New York City, where he settled. In the 1960s, they had one child
together (Leah-Carla Gordone). During the 1960s revolution, "open
marriages" were common, and Charles met artist Nancy Meadows. Together
they had a son David Brent Gordone, yet Charles Gordone remained with
Jeanne Warner raising their daughter Leah-Carla in New York City over
the years while Nancy Meadows left her position with the Washington
Post and traveled around with her son David as a member of Wavy
Gravy's Hog Farm (a 1960s hippie communal/caravan group that
coordinated light shows for major concerts around the U.S., including
the first Woodstock Concert).
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