August Wilson’s play about the 60s earned its place as a Finalist for the 1992 Pulitzer Prize for Drama through its blend of unique characters, insightful dialogue, and its oblique examination of this tumultuous decade in the Civil Rights Movement. 

Set in 1969, Two Trains Running captures the changing tides of the Civil Rights Movement through the lens of a small Pittsburgh diner in the Hill District. The conversations in this diner almost solely revolve around one subject: money. The weekly numbers game, the price that Memphis can acquire for his building as the neighborhood gentrifies, and financial success and hardships are all fair game. Instead of focusing on the historical figures who often dominate Civil Rights-era narratives, Wilson highlights the impact on everyday folks, showing how systemic oppression and hope intertwine.