Joseph A. Walker (playwright)

Joseph A. Walker
Walker during his brief acting career
Born	(1935-02-24)February 24, 1935 Washington, D.C., U.S.
Died	January 25, 2003(2003-01-25) (aged 67)
Resting place	Lincoln Memorial Cemetery
Occupation	Playwright, director, screenwriter, educator
Spouse	Barbara A. Walker (1957–1965) Dorothy Ann Dinroe-Walker (1970–her death in 1995)

Joseph Alexander Walker (February 24, 1935 – January 25, 2003) was an American playwright and screenwriter, theater director, actor and professor. He is best known for writing The River Niger, a three-act play that was originally produced Off-Broadway in 1972 by the Negro Ensemble Company, before being transferred to Broadway in 1973 and then adapted into a 1976 film of the same name starring James Earl Jones and Cicely Tyson.^[1] In 1974, Walker became the first African-American writer to win a Tony Award, receiving the Tony Award for Best Play for The River Niger. The playwright previously won an Obie Award during that play's 1972 to 1973 Off-Broadway run.^[1]