British-American author and cultural commentator Bonnie Greer has died at the age of 77 after a brief illness, her husband has said. In a statement delivered with "profound sadness", Greer's widower David Hutchins described her as "an acclaimed playwright, author, critic, cultural and political commentator whose intelligence, courage and distinctive voice made an enduring contribution to British cultural and public life". He added: "To me, she was my partner, confidante and inspiration, and I feel profoundly privileged to have shared my life with her." Hutchins continued: "Those closest to Bonnie will remember her warmth, humour, generosity and extraordinary ability to bring people together." Once named by the Observer, external as one of the country's leading public intellectuals, Greer's work - across a range of disciplines and platforms - often tackled topics around culture, race and public institutions.
Speaking to the Guardian, external in 2016 in the aftermath of the Black Lives Matter movement, Greer said: "When I wake up in the morning, I'm just myself. It's only when I leave the door that I become a black woman to the world." She added: "I tell black women all the time, 'Don't apologise for yourself and keep your hair nappy. Make sure you are heard'." Born in Chicago in 1948, Greer wrote plays from a young age and went on to study theatre in her home city and before attending the Actors Studio in New York with director Elia Kazan.
She moved to the UK in 1986, serving on the boards of art institutions including the British Museum, Royal Opera House and London Film School. And she became a regular face on UK TV, appearing as a panellist on programmes like Newsnight Review and Question Time, and also serving as chancellor of London's Kingston University. Her published works include a memoir titled A Parallel Life and a critical biography of the US poet and playwright Langston Hughes.
She was awarded the Verity Bargate Award for best play for Munda Negra, and she was also the author of the novels Hanging by Her Teeth (1994) and Entropy (2009). Also in 2009, her memoir and music history, Obama Music, was published. Greer was made an OBE in 2010 for services to the arts.
In 2022, she was appointed as a fellow of the Royal Society of Literature.
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