Shange was born Paulette L. Williams on October 18, 1948 in Trenton, New Jersey to an Air Force surgeon and an educator/psychiatric social worker. She graduated cum laude with her BS degree in American studies from Barnard College in New York City. In 1973 she changed her name after a failed marriage and suicide attempts. Her new name is from the Xhosa language, Ntozake, meaning “she who comes with her own things,” and Shange, meaning “she who walks among lions.” She then graduated from the University of Southern California in 1973. After joining a dance company she created the Choreo poem: “For colored girls who have considered suicide/when the rainbow is enuf.” The work was first produced off-Broadway and then premiered on Broadway at the booth theater in 1976. The play went onto win the OB award, the outer critics Circle award, and the a UTELCO award. Originally conceived as a Choreo poem, it has been published in book form, and adapted into a stage play. In 2010, Tyler perry wrote, produced, and directed the film adaptation, for colored girls, starring Whoopi Goldberg, Phylicia Rashad, Janet Jackson, and Loretta Devine.
In 1978, she released nappy edges, a collection of 50 palm celebrating the voices of independent woman. In 1979 she produced the trilogy three pieces of poems, which won the LA Times book prize. In 1982 she released her first novel, sassafras, Cypress, and indigo, which he followed with Betsy Brown in 1985 and little Lane: resurrection of the daughter in 1994. Her work appeared in the black scholar, yard bird, miss magazine, essence magazine, the Chicago tribune, vibe, and third – world women. In addition to poetry, novels, essays and screenplays, she published four books for children. She also served on the faculty of the department of drama at the University of Houston.
And Emmy, Tony, and Grammy award nominee, she received an NDEA fellowship in 1974, two Obie awards, Guggenheim fellowship in 1981, the Paul Robeson achievement award in 1992, the Living legend award from the national Black theater festival in 1993. She was inducted into the St. Louis Walk of fame. She passed away on October 27, 2018 at the age of 70.
