The green pastures
This Pulitzer Prize-winning play reimagines stories from the Old Testament through the eyes of African American parishioners in the American South. It presents a charming and often humorous depiction of heaven and biblical figures, offering a unique perspective on faith and humanity. The narrative follows a group of Sunday school children as they learn about creation and other biblical events.
A feature film adaptation was released in 1936, co-directed by Marc Connelly and William Keighley, which is notable for being one of the few major Hollywood productions of its era to feature an all-Black cast.
The play was directly inspired by Roark Bradford's 1928 book Ol' Man Adam an' His Chillun, which provided the initial concept of retelling Old Testament stories through the lens of Southern African American folk tradition.
