Pearl Cleage is an African American author, playwright, essayist, and political activist known for her feminist views and her exploration of issues of race and gender. Born on December 7, 1948, in Springfield, Massachusetts, she grew up in Detroit, Michigan. Cleage's work often addresses topics such as African American culture, romantic love, and sisterhood, and she integrates her activism into her writing, promoting social justice and empowerment, particularly for African American women. Cleage gained prominence with her novel "What Looks Like Crazy on an Ordinary Day," which was a New York Times bestseller and an Oprah's Book Club selection in 1998. She has also written several plays, including "Flyin' West" and "Blues for an Alabama Sky." Her body of work includes both fiction and nonfiction, reflecting her versatility and commitment to tackling complex social issues through her art.