Lorraine Hansberry (May 19, 1930-January 12, 1965) was a playwright, essayist, and civil rights activist. Hansberry wrote The Crystal Stair, a play about a struggling Black family in Chicago, which was later renamed A Raisin in the Sun. In the introduction of the live version, Simone explains the difficulty of losing a close friend and talented artist. September 27, 2022. In one of her stories, The Anticipation of Eve, Lorraine describes the moment the protagonist Rita is about to see her lover Eve with lush, tender language: I could think only of flowers growing lovely and wild somewhere by the highways, of every lovely melody I had ever heard. In 2014, the play was revived on Broadway again in a production starring Denzel Washington, directed again by Kenny Leon; it won three Tony Awards, for Best Revival of a Play, Best Featured Actress in a Play for Sophie Okonedo, and Best Direction of a Play. In 1952, Hansberry attended a peace conference in Montevideo, Uruguay, in place of Robeson, who had been denied travel rights by the State Department. She was also a lesbian who kept her sexual preference as classified information, not able to come out during the tumultuous era in which basic human rights were denied on a regular basis, for certain groups of people in society. She was the first African-American female author to have a play performed on Broadway. Here are five important facts about her that you most likely didnt know. She identified as a lesbian and thought about LGBT organizing before there was a gay rights movement. Hansberry was appalled by the nuclear bombing of Hiroshima and Nagasaki, which took place while she was in high school. Hansberry was born in Chicago, Illinois and grew up in a family that was deeply involved in the civil rights movement. She attended the University of Wisconsin in 194850 and then briefly the School of the Art Institute of Chicago and Roosevelt University (Chicago). At the Lorraine Hansberry Literary Trust, which represents and oversees the late writer's literary work, there's a guiding mantra: "Lorraine Is Of The Future." Rachel Brosnahan and Oscar . This penetrating psychological study of a working-class black family on the south side of Chicago in the late 1940s reflected Hansberry's own experiences of racial harassment after her prosperous family moved into a white neighbourhood. An author, a playwright and an activist, Lorraine Hansberry was born on May 19, 1930, in Chicago, Illinois. Lorraine Hansberry was an avid civil rights activist because she understood clearly, that people need a champion in this life. To those around them, the Hansberrys were inspirational both parents were college. She moved to New York City and became involved in the arts scene, working as a writer and editor for various publications. The sq. Not only did Hansberry address social and racial issues in her novels and plays, but she also wrote articles true to her voice and beliefs for a progressive Black journal, James Baldwin was her close friend and confidant. Du Bois , poet Langston Hughes, singer, actor, and political activist Paul Robeson, musician Duke Ellington, and Olympic gold medalist Jesse Owens. Terkel, Studs. She attended the University of WisconsinMadison, where she immediately became politically active with the Communist Party USA and integrated a dormitory. Theatre Nation Partnerships network extends to every region in England. Please refer to the appropriate style manual or other sources if you have any questions. The American dream means something different to each character in A Raisin in the Sun. Lorraines experiences growing up in this environment informed her writing, which often dealt with issues of race, class, and identity. Even though her disease brought her career to an abrupt halt, Lorraine Hansberry continues to be remembered through the paintings and writings which she worked on in the early years of her career. In 1961, Hansberry was set to replace Vinnette Carroll as the director of the musical Kicks and Co, after its try-out at Chicago's McCormick Place. The youngest of four siblings, she was seven years younger than Mamie, her . This money comes from the deceased Mr. Younger's life insurance policy. Written when she was just twenty-eight, Lorraine Hansberry's landmark A Raisin in the Sun is listed . How would you rate this article? 1. The award-winning playwright whose 90th birthday would have been this week first captured the public eye during the civil rights movement. . However, in 2013, President Barack Obama posthumously awarded her the Presidential Medal of Freedom in recognition of her contributions to the arts and the civil rights movement. The statue will be sent on a tour of major US cities. Lorraine Hansberry was a master scribe. Lorraine Vivian Hansberry's A Raisin in the Sun exploded onto American theater scene on March 11, 1959, with such force that it garnered for the then-unknown black female playwright the Drama Circle Critics Award for 1958-59 in spite of such luminous competition as Tennessee Williams' Sweet Bird of Youth . . Before her death, she built a circle of gay and lesbian friends, took several lovers, vacationed in Provincetown (where she enjoyed, in her words, "a gathering of the clan"), and subscribed to several homophile magazines. Hansberry received many awards for her work, including a New York Critics' Circle Award, an award at the Cannes Film Festival. Hansberry was interested in writing from an early age and while in high school was drawn especially to the theatre. Picture Information. Lincoln University's first-year female dormitory is named Lorraine Hansberry Hall. She wrote about her experiences as a lesbian in her unpublished journals and letters. Lorraine Hansberrys father, Carl Augustus Hansberry, was involved in the Supreme Court case. He looked insulted--seemed to feel that he had been wasting his time . Unfortunately, Lorraine Hansberry passed away in 1965, and the Presidential Medal of Freedom was not established until 1969. She is buried at Asbury United Methodist Church Cemetery in Croton-on-Hudson, New York. There are a million boys and girls Risking public censure and process of being outed to the larger community, she joined the Daughters of Bilitis, a lesbian organization, and submitted letters and short stories to queer publications Ladder and ONE. . Later, an FBI reviewer of Raisin in the Sun highlighted its Pan-Africanist themes as "dangerous". In Perrys words, this moment captures the tension . Lorraine Hansberry was born at Provident Hospital on the South Side of Chicago on May 19, 1930. Lorraine used the theater to share her views. Hansberry, sadly passed away when she was in her 30s, but she left her mark on the world, and those who know its value are keeping it alive as a relevant piece of history that deserves a second look. James Baldwin wrote the introduction to Hansberrys biography, Literary Ladies Guide to the Writing Life. Tone Realistic. Her civil rights work and writing career were cut short by her death from pancreatic cancer at age 34. On the night before their wedding in 1953, Nemiroff and Hansberry protested against the execution of Julius and Ethel Rosenberg in New York City. On March 11, 1959, Lorraine Hansberry's A Raisin in the Sun opened on Broadway and changed the face of American theater forever. She was an anti-colonialist before independence had been won in Africa and the Caribbean.. Sighted Eyes/Feeling Heart has had a vigorously successful run. In January 2018, the PBS series American Masters released a new documentary, Lorraine Hansberry: Sighted Eyes/Feeling Heart, directed by Tracy Heather Strain. It was, in fact, a requirement for human decency (150). He was known as a race man who sought to make the world a better place for African Americans. She was born to Carl Augustus Hansberry and Nonnie Louise. The title of Hansberrys now-iconic play A Raisin In the Sun was inspired by Hughes poem Harlem. One could argue that the play illustrated the poems sentiment: Quotes from A Raisin in the Sun She moved to Harlem in 1951 and became involved in activist struggles such as the fight against evictions. . | When she was only 29 years old, Hansberry became the youngest American and the first African-American playwright to win the New York Drama Critics Circle Award for Best Play. . In 1938, the family moved to a white neighborhood and was violently attacked by its inhabitants but the former refused to vacate the area until . Download Our Free Black Liberation eBook Bundle! In college, she took classes in stage design and sculpture, and turned her dorm room into an art studio. Her father was brave and daring enough to move his family into an all white neighborhood during tumultuous times. Born Lorraine Vivian Hansberry, May 19, 1930, in Chicago, IL; died of cancer, January 12, 1965; daughter of Carl Augustus (a real estate entrepreneur) and Nannie (Perry) Hansberry; married Robert Nemiroff, June 20, 1953 (divorced March 10, 1964). In 1964, Hansberry and Nemiroff divorced but continued to work together. The Hansberry family had many friends and relatives that were involved in the arts. Free shipping. Book Details. The Hansberry's were routinely visited by prominent black people, including sociology professor W. E. B. Lorraine Hansberry, a celebrated African American playwright and writer, was not openly gay during her lifetime. The single reached the top 10 of the R&B charts. A documentary has been made about her writing, Filmmaker Tracy Heather Strain is so taken with Lorraines work that she put together a powerful documentary so people would know who she was and what she stood for. . It was the first play written by an African American woman to appear on Broadway. Lorraine Hansberry is often viewed as a visionary because of her ability to predict many of the relevant issues to the African-American community today. Posthumously, "A Raisin . Fact 2: Lorraine was raised in the South Side of Chicago. The play has also been adapted into a film and has become a classic of American literature and theatre. Important Feminists you should know. Picture 1 of 1. When the play opens, the Youngers are about to receive an insurance check for $10,000. A Raisin in the Sun by Lorraine Hansberry (2004, Mass Market, Reprint) $0.99 + $5.65 shipping. Religion Her first play, A Raisin in the Sun, continues to be her most influential piece and has managed to find new audiences through the decades, wining Tony Awards in 2004 and 2014 and also the title of Best Revival of a Play. Fact 9: This isnt a major life milestone of Lorraines, but its too fascinating not to include it!) . We would like, said Lorraine, from you, a moral commitment. He did not turn from her as he had turned away from Jerome. The familys home was frequently visited by prominent African American leaders, such as W.E.B. BA English MEd Adult Ed & Community & Human Resource Development and ABD in PhD studies in Indust & Org Psychology. And how amazing that she had already accomplished so much. Hansberrys uncle, William Leo Hansberry, founded the Howard University African Civilization section of the history department, her cousin Shauneille Perry is an actress and playwright, and her younger relatives, Taye Hansberry is an actress and Aldridge Hansberry is a composer and flutist. She was the fourth child born to Nannie Perry Hansberry and Carl Augustus Hansberry in Chicago, IL. Thanks for reading! The Lorraine Hansberry Theatre of San Francisco, which specializes in original stagings and revivals of African-American theatre, is named in her honor. The group of 1960's would-be idealists, iconoclasts and intellectuals who hang out in the Greenwich Village apartment of Sidney and Iris Brustein (Oscar Isaac and Rachel Brosnahan) include a painter, We may all come from different walks of life but we have one common passion - learning through travel. The title of the song comes from a speech she gave to young people. In 1951, Hansberry joined the staff of the black newspaper Freedom, edited by Louis E. Burnham and published by Paul Robeson. She was also the youngest playwright and the first Black winner of the prestigious Drama Critics Circle Awardfor Best Play. In 1938, after her father bought a house in the south side of Chicago, the family was subject to the wrath of their white neighbors, resulting in U.S. Supreme CourtsHansberry v. Leecase. Corrections? Three years later, Hansberry devoted all her attention towards writing joining the Daughters of Bilitis the year after. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); Literary Ladies Guide to the Writing Life
Image by Eden, Janine and Jim from Wikimedia. Hansberry was invited to meet Robert F. Kennedy (then U.S. Attorney General) in May, 1963 due to the work she had done as a Civil Rights activist, but declined the invitation. Publisher Random House. Due to racial differences, Lorraine and her family faced racism when she was just eight. Language English. In 2008, the production was adapted for television with the same cast, winning two NAACP Image Awards. Despite not finishing college, Hansberry went on to achieve great success as a playwright and activist. She also enjoys creative writing, content writing on nearly any topic, because as a lifelong learner, she loves research. Du Bois. To Be Young, Gifted and Black was a posthumously produced play and collection of writings that capped a brief and brilliant career. After moving to New York City, she held various minor jobs and studied at the New School for Social Research while refining her writing skills. She later joined Englewood High School. In 1950, Hansberry decided to leave Madison and pursue her career as a writer in New York City, where she attended The New School. They write new content and verify and edit content received from contributors. Race & Ethnicity in America On the eightieth anniversary of Hansberry's birth, Adjoa Andoh presented a BBC Radio 4 program entitled Young, Gifted and Black in tribute to her life. Lorraine Hansberry, (born May 19, 1930, Chicago, Illinois, U.S.died January 12, 1965, New York, New York), American playwright whose A Raisin in the Sun (1959) was the first drama by an African American woman to be produced on Broadway. She became close friends with James Baldwin and Nina Simone. Fact 7: Nina Simones song To Be Young, Gifted and Black was written in memory of her close friend Lorraine. She was also nominated for the Tony Award for Best Play, among the four Tony Awards that the play was nominated for in 1960. 236 pp. Her promising career was cut short by her early death frompancreatic cancer. . However, Karl Linder is the only character to appear in both . This script was called "superb" but also rejected. While many of her other writings were published in her lifetime essays, articles, and the text for the SNCC book The Movement: Documentary of a Struggle for Equality the only other play given a contemporary production was The Sign in Sidney Brustein's Window. Lorraine Hansberry. Conversations with Lorraine Hansberry - Mollie Godfrey 2021-01-15 He even took his battle against racially restrictive housing covenants to the Supreme Court, winning a major victory in the landmark case Hansberry v. Lee. Politics & Current Events MLS # 3441616 . It ran for 101 performances on Broadway and closed the night she died. Du Bois, whose office was in the same building, and other Black Pan-Africanists. When Irvine read the lyrics after it was finished, he thought, "I didn't write this. According to historian Fanon Che Wilkins, "Hansberry believed that gaining civil rights in the United States and obtaining independence in colonial Africa were two sides of the same coin that presented similar challenges for Africans on both sides of the Atlantic." Hansberry's classmate Bob Teague remembered her as "the only girl I knew who could whip together a fresh picket sign with her own hands, at a moment's notice, for any cause or occasion". Her mother, Nannie Perry, was a schoolteacher active in the Republican Party. 'The Black Revolution and the White Backlash . In 1960, during Delta Sigma Theta's 26th national convention in Chicago, Hansberry was made an honorary member. This made her the first Chicago native to be honored along the North Halsted corridor. Additionally, Hansberry was known to be a champion of civil rights and social justice, and she was involved in several LGBTQ+ organizations and causes during her lifetime. Mumford stated that Hansberry's lesbianism caused her to feel isolated while A Raisin in the Sun catapulted her to fame; still, while "her impulse to cover evidence of her lesbian desires sprang from other anxieties of respectability and conventions of marriage, Hansberry was well on her way to coming out." The Hansberry Project is rooted in the convictions that black artists should be at the center of the artistic process, that the community deserves excellence in its art, and that theatre's fundamental function is to put people in a relationship with one another.