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The birth of Lorraine Hansberry
Born in Chicago, Illinois. She is the youngest of four siblings. Hansberry’s mother was a schoolteacher and her father was a successful real estate broker.
(https://www.chipublib.org/lorraine-hansberry-biography/) -
The Relocation of Family
The Hansberry's family moved to Rhodes Avenue, Chicago in May 1937. Where her family was threatened by a bunch of white mobs who had gathered at their estate. Because of these incidents, shortly after the Supreme Court of Illinois ordered them to move out. Back then whites and blacks were segregated.
(https://www.chipublib.org/lorraine-hansberry-biography/) -
Lorraine Hansberry Education
Hansberry graduated from Englewood High School (1948) in Chicago where she became interested in theater. She enrolled in the University of Wisconsin. After two years, she later drops out and left before completing her degree and later moves to New York City in 1950 to become a writer.
(https://www.biography.com/writer/lorraine-hansberry) -
Marriage
Lorraine Hansberry got married to Robert B. Nemiroff. He was a Jewish songwriter and worked together with Hansberry. They later got divorced in 1962 but they continued to work together. The marriage was short, so they never had children.
(https://www.biography.com/writer/lorraine-hansberry) -
Details on why Hansberry was famous for
One of Hansberry's most famous written plays was called "A Raisin in the Sun." Hansberry was also one of the first play writes that was written by an African American in Broadway. Many of her plays where mainly about the lives of the working black class to using her family and school life for reference.
(https://www.chipublib.org/lorraine-hansberry-biography) -
Influencers
Lorraine Hansberry was influenced by both her poem and her own real-life experience she went threw as an African American woman. This experiences were put into play when she wrote, "A Raisin in the Sun." The play was her first written play by a black woman produced on Broadway.
(http://www.legacy.com/news/celebrity-deaths/article/lorraine-hansberrys-a-raisin-in-the-sun) -
The New York Drama Critics Award
Hansberry was the first African American playwriter to win the New York Drama Critics Award for her drama called "A Raisin in the Sun," which opened on Broadway in 1959.
(http://web.kennedy-center.org/Education/KCACTF/awards/Playwriting/LoraineHansberry) -
The Drinking Gourd
Was one of the workes that were written by Hansberry's. It talked about slaves' relationships back then where there was white supremacy.
(https://www.chipublib.org/lorraine-hansberry-biography/)
(http://www.followthedrinkinggourd.org/Appendix_Adult_Books.htm) -
Civil Rights
Lorraine Hansberry was active in the Civil Rights Movement in the and alongside her how where also influencers; Harry Belafonte, Lena Horne, and James Baldwin. The Civil Rights Movement lead her to release a play called The Sign in Sidney Brustein’s Window in 1963.
(https://www.biography.com/writer/lorraine-hansberry) -
Health Issues
Lorraine Hansberry was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer while at the same time the Sign in Sidney Brustein’s Window opened. Everything was going for her until she was diagnosed with cancer.
(https://www.biography.com/writer/lorraine-hansberry) -
Recognition
Hansberry was recognized for her intellectual and activist, illuminating and working on civil rights struggles and poverty, prejudice and oppression after six years between her first play and her death at age 34.
(https://www.womenofthehall.org/inductee/lorraine-hansberry/) -
Martin Luther King Jr.’s message
An inspiring message stated by Martin Luther King Jr. in Ms. Hansberry’s funeral honored by saying in the following sentences, “Her creative ability and her profound grasp of the deep social issues confronting the world today will remain an inspiration to generations yet unborn.”
(https://www.womenofthehall.org/inductee/lorraine-hansberry/) -
Death
Lorraine Hansberry died of pancreatic cancer at age 35. After her death, Nemiroff adapted a collection of her writing and interviews in, "To Be Young, Gifted and Black," which opened on Broadway at the Cherry Lane Theatre which ran for about eight months.
(https://www.biography.com/writer/lorraine-hansberry) -
What Use Are Flowers?
Was one of the workes that were published by Nemiroff after Hansberry's death. It was within like a transcript for a play.
(https://www.chipublib.org/lorraine-hansberry-biography/) -
To Be Young, Gifted and Black
Altho Nemiroff divorced Hansberry (died right after because of cancer), he was able to publish many of her unfinished works especially one called, "To Be Young, Gifted and Black." The title was taken from a speech given by Hansberry in May 1964 to winners of a United Negro Fund writing competition.
(https://www.chipublib.org/lorraine-hansberry-biography/)
(https://www.literaryladiesguide.com/book-reviews/to-be-young-gifted-and-black-lorraine-hansberry/) -
Les Blancs
Was one of the workes that were published by Nemiroff after Hansberry's death. It talked about what happens when black nationalism clashes with white imperialism.
(https://www.chipublib.org/lorraine-hansberry-biography/)
(https://www.radiotimes.com/news/2016-03-31/les-blancs-still-has-the-power-to-shock-theatre-review/) -
Legacy (1989-2008)
According to Biography.com, it states that "A Raisin in the Sun" is considered one of the hallmarks of the American stage and has continued to find new audiences throughout the decades, including Emmy-nominated television productions from both 1989 and 2008. The play has earned accolades from Broadway as well, winning Tony Awards in 2004 and 2014, including Best Revival of a Play.
(https://www.biography.com/writer/lorraine-hansberry) -
Interesting Fact
The Hansberry family home at 6140 S. Rhodes Ave was finally declared a historic landmark by the Chicago City Council
(https://www.lib.uchicago.edu/about/news/lorraine-hansberry-her-chicago-law-story/) -
The Lorraine Hansberry Playwriting Award
According to Kennedy Center, it states that the Lorraine Hansberry Playwriting Award is presented in the memory of the distinguished dramatist for the outstanding KCACTF student-written plays on the subject of the African-American experience.
(http://web.kennedy-center.org/Education/KCACTF/awards/Playwriting/LoraineHansberry) -
National's Woman's Hall of Fame
Lorraine Hansberry as abole to be put in National's Woman's Hall of Fame because of the numerous awards she won threw out her lifetime and continues to win awards even after her death.
(https://www.womenofthehall.org/inductee/lorraine-hansberry/) -
Black History Month
Lorraine Hansberry was recognized in the Black History Month: Remembering Trailblazers Who Passed of Pancreatic Cancer
(https://www.pancan.org/news/black-history-month-remembering-trailblazers-who-passed-of-pancreatic-cancer/)
