Lorraine Hansberry

Lorraine Vivian Hansberry
Born	Lorraine Vivian Hansberry (1930-05-19)May 19, 1930 Chicago, Illinois, U.S.
Died	January 12, 1965(1965-01-12) (aged 34) New York City, U.S.
Occupation	Playwright, writer, stage director
Nationality	American
Education	University of Wisconsin–Madison The New School
Spouse	Robert Nemiroff (m. 1953–1964)

Lorraine Vivian Hansberry (May 19, 1930 – January 12, 1965) was an African-American playwright, essayist, journalist and activist. Hansberry was the first black female author to have a play performed on Broadway. Her best known work, the play A Raisin In The Sun.

Hansberry died in New York City of pancreatic cancer on January 12, 1965 at the age of 34. Martin Luther King, Jr. and James Baldwin spoke at her funeral on January 15 in New York.

Hansberry was a playwriter of her time, becoming a cultural icon for many African Americans, and her legacy has been passed down through generations.

Hansberry faced many encounters with racism, and that shaped how she created her plays.

Other websites

• "The Black Revolution and the White Backlash" (audio with transcript) – speech by Lorraine Hansberry, Forum at Town Hall sponsored by The Association of Artists for Freedom, New York City, June 15, 1964
• Voices from the Gaps: Women Writers of Color – Lorraine Hansberry, University of Minnesota
• Lorraine Hansberry at Find a Grave
• Twice Militant: Lorraine Hansberry's Letters to "The Ladder" – Brooklyn Museum exhibition, November 2013 – March 2014