Watch: Playwright Branden Jacobs-Jenkins on Race’s Importance in Narratives

“It blew my mind the first time I saw a black character on an HBO show that wasn’t in jail. Diversity is important because the world is diverse.” —Branden Jacobs-Jenkins Suggested Reading What’s 2025’s Black Song of The Summer? The Answer Will Surprise You Details Surrounding the Death of Michael Jackson, Explained  Why Black Folks…

“It blew my mind the first time I saw a black character on an HBO show that wasn’t in jail. Diversity is important because the world is diverse.”

—Branden Jacobs-Jenkins
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Branden Jacobs-Jenkins was recognized on The Root 100 this year for his work changing narratives through the theatrical arts. In 2016, Jacobs-Jenkins was awarded a MacArthur “genius” grant, and his play Gloria was a finalist for the 2016 Pulitzer Prize for drama.

See more about how the playwright changes race narratives in the above video.

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