Shay Youngblood, a Georgia native novelist and playwright, died on Tuesday, June 11, in Peachtree City, home of her friend Kelley Alexander. She was 64.
Alexander has confirmed that the cause of her death was ovarian cancer.
Youngblood, born in Columbus, Georgia, first gained recognition as a writer in 1989 with her debut collection of short stories, 'Big Momma Stories.' She then wrote two critically acclaimed novels, 'Soul Kiss' and 'Black Girl in Paris,' and a children's book, 'A Family Prayer.'
'The Big Mamas,' stoic, arthritic, and wise, features the learnings of young Youngblood, including their dim view of most men, their love of music, dancing, and church, their often foul humor, and their dignified yet strong resistance to the abuses and humiliations inflicted upon them by the racist white employers they served as maids for.
Throughout her career, Youngblood paved the way for Black women in the arts. She defied social norms and bravely took on challenging themes, using her platform to elevate marginalized voices and spark crucial discussions. Her efforts proved her steadfast dedication to equality and social justice.
In an interview for The Chicago Tribune when 'Shakin' the Mess Outta Misery' was produced in Chicago in 2017, 20 years after its first staging there, Kerry Reid said: "The simple act of centering on the stories of Black women, with barely any references to the men (white or Black) in their lives, is itself an act of resistance."
Reid claimed that the women they meet in Youngblood's unapologetically fierce, funny, and ultimately hopeful memory-play-with-music might make people want to jump up at the curtain call and ask all of them to run for office.
Jacqueline Woodson, the noted children's author, novelist, and poet, said that the Black girl writing world is especially small, and the Black queer girl writing world is even smaller, so she has known Youngblood for a long time. She shared that she loved Youngblood's 'Shakin' the Mess Outta Misery.'
No immediate family members survive. Youngblood's marriage to Annette Lawrence in 2010 ended in divorce in 2020.
