Pearl Cleage to be honored by Atlanta Business League

Playwright and bestselling author Pearl Cleage will be honored by the Atlanta Business League during its 36th annual conference on Oct. 6 celebrating Black women entrepreneurs.

Cleage, who began her career in the administration of Maynard Jackson, Atlanta’s first Black mayor, pivoted in her late 30s to become a fulltime writer. She also taught writing at Spelman College, inspiring and becoming a mentor to student Tayari Jones, who is now a bestselling author in her own right.

The conference will be virtual this year and will feature a range of to-be-announced speakers and workshops geared toward Black women business owners. According to its website, the Atlanta league was started in 1933 as part of the National Business League founded by Booker T. Washington.