Kelundra Smith’s Debut Play Brings 1881 Washerwomen Strike to Life

Atlanta, a city steeped in history, witnesses the unveiling of a new play by local culture writer-turned-playwright Kelundra Smith. The long-awaited world premiere of ‘The Wash,’ her debut play, is a striking exploration of the iconic 1881 washerwomen strike that once brought Atlanta to a standstill. A significant, yet often overlooked part of history, the strike represents a milestone in labor rights movements in the United States.

An Encounter with Lost History

In 2017, Smith visited the National Museum of African American History and Culture in Washington, DC, only to discover her city’s forgotten past. Despite her Atlanta upbringing, she had never heard of the 1881 washerwomen strike. This moment of realisation sparked Smith’s journey into playwriting—a remarkable shift from her successful career as an arts and culture journalist.

“The stories I wanted to tell as a journalist, I just knew I wasn’t going to get an assignment to tell,” Smith reflects. Inspired by a satirical article about the washerwomen’s strike, she began writing ‘The Wash,’ eager to revive this vital event in Atlanta’s history. The play predominantly follows the lives of several fictional Black laundresses in 1881, who while at crossroads in their personal lives, were willing to fight for higher wages.

The Atlanta Washerwomen Strike of 1881

Arguably one of the most significant labor actions in the post–Civil War era, the Atlanta Washerwomen Strike of 1881 began with 20 Black women and swelled to 3,000 within three weeks. The fight for better pay and working conditions echoed the struggles of today’s gig economy workers, highlighting the persistent struggle for fair wages and rights even after over a century.

Most homes in 1881 did not have running water or electricity, meaning launderesses would fetch water from wells and pump stations, handwash clothes, dry, iron, fold, and deliver them—an intense, physically taxing routine repeated daily. Smith’s play draws parallels between these essential workers of the past and present.

A New Career in Playwriting

Smith, who now identifies as a storyteller, has written five plays since ‘The Wash’ but it is the first to receive a full production. It is also part of a trilogy she is writing about Black triumphs in Georgia during the Reconstruction era. ‘The Wash’ was a finalist in the National New Play Network 2024 National Showcase of New Plays, a testament to Smith’s storytelling prowess.

Even after its premieres at Atlanta’s Synchronicity Theatre and Hapeville’s Academy Theatre, the play is slated for further productions at reputed venues like The Black Rep in St. Louis and Perceptions Theatre in Chicago.

A Message of Empowerment and Possibility

While ‘The Wash’ celebrates an important historical event, it also breaks ground for the stories it brings to life. With this play, Smith hopes to inspire audiences to envision new possibilities for themselves, underlining that one’s present circumstances do not define their future.

“I wrote it so I could sleep at night and see it hopefully resonate with people in a positive way and inspire them to fight for their own rights. I want audiences to imagine possibilities for themselves and to know that where you are is not where you are stuck,” shares Smith.

‘The Wash’ brings a little-known piece of Georgia’s history back to life, giving voice to the washerwomen who fought for their rights, showing that their struggle is as relevant today as it was in 1881.