Lorraine Vivian Hansberry
- Born:
- May 19, 1930, Chicago, Illinois, USA
- Died:
- January 12, 1965, New York City, New York, USA
- Nationality:
- American
- Profession(s):
- Playwright, Writer, Activist
Early Life and Education
- Born into a prominent Black family in Chicago; her father, Carl Augustus Hansberry, was a real estate broker and her mother, Nannie Perry Hansberry, a schoolteacher.
- Her family's fight against restrictive housing covenants, which went to the Supreme Court (Hansberry v. Lee), influenced her later work.
- Attended the Art Institute of Chicago and the University of Wisconsin–Madison.
- Moved to New York City, working various jobs while pursuing her writing career.
Career and Major Achievements
- Gained critical acclaim for her play, A Raisin in the Sun, which premiered in 1959.
- A Raisin in the Sun was the first play by a Black woman to be produced on Broadway.
- Became the youngest American and only the fifth woman to win the New York Drama Critics' Circle Award for Best Play.
- Continued to write and advocate for social justice issues.
Notable Works
| Title | Type | Year |
|---|---|---|
| A Raisin in the Sun | Play | 1959 |
| The Sign in Sidney Brustein's Window | Play | 1964 |
| To Be Young, Gifted and Black (posthumously adapted) | Autobiographical Play | 1969 |
| Les Blancs (unfinished, adapted by others) | Play | 1970 |
Legacy and Impact
Lorraine Hansberry's work explored themes of racial identity, class, and gender. A Raisin in the Sun is considered a landmark in American theatre and continues to be widely performed and studied. Her plays and essays continue to inspire generations of writers and activists. This biography of Lorraine Hansberry highlights her significant contributions to literature and social justice.