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Who Was Lorraine Hansberry?
Lorraine Hansberry was a groundbreaking playwright best known for writing A Raisin in the Sun, a play that powerfully depicted the struggles of a Black family facing economic and racial challenges. Premiering on Broadway to critical acclaim, it made Hansberry the first Black playwright and the youngest American to receive the prestigious New York Critics’ Circle Award. Beyond her literary achievements, Hansberry was a passionate advocate for civil rights throughout her life. Tragically, her career was cut short when she passed away from pancreatic cancer at the age of 34.
Early Life
Lorraine Vivian Hansberry III was born on May 19, 1930, in Chicago, Illinois, into a family deeply involved in the fight for racial equality. She was the youngest of four children, born to a father who was a successful real estate broker and a mother who was a schoolteacher. Both parents were active supporters of civil rights organizations, contributing significantly to the NAACP and the Urban League.
In 1938, the Hansberry family moved into a predominantly white neighborhood, where they were met with hostility and violent attacks. Despite the danger, the family refused to leave until they were legally forced to do so. Their case reached the U.S. Supreme Court in Hansberry v. Lee, where the ruling ultimately declared restrictive racial covenants unconstitutional.
Education and Career
Hansberry defied her family’s tradition of attending Southern Black colleges, instead enrolling at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. Initially focused on painting, she later shifted her academic interest to writing. After two years, she left school and moved to New York City to pursue her passion.
In New York, Hansberry continued her education at the New School for Social Research and worked as a writer and associate editor for Freedom, a progressive Black newspaper founded by Paul Robeson. During this period, she also held part-time jobs as a waitress and cashier, all while writing in her free time. By 1956, she dedicated herself fully to her writing career.
Hansberry was also involved in early feminist and LGBTQ+ movements. In 1957, she joined the Daughters of Bilitis, one of the first lesbian civil rights organizations, and contributed anonymous letters to its magazine The Ladder discussing issues of feminism and homophobia. Fearing the societal repercussions of her sexuality being publicly known, Hansberry signed these writings with her initials, “L.H.”
A Raisin in the Sun
Lorraine Hansberry originally titled her play The Crystal Stair, which told the story of a struggling Black family in Chicago. The title was later changed to A Raisin in the Sun, a reference to a line from Langston Hughes’ poem “Harlem.” The play premiered at the Ethel Barrymore Theatre on March 11, 1959, and became a major success, running for 530 performances. Hansberry made history as the first African American woman to have a play produced on Broadway and became the first Black playwright, as well as the youngest American, to win a New York Critics’ Circle Award at the age of 29. The film adaptation of A Raisin in the Sun, released in 1961 and starring Sidney Poitier, went on to receive an award at the Cannes Film Festival.
Civil Rights Activism
Hansberry was also actively involved in the civil rights movement. In 1963, she, alongside notable figures like Harry Belafonte, Lena Horne, and James Baldwin, met with U.S. Attorney General Robert Kennedy to challenge his stance on civil rights issues. Her second play, The Sign in Sidney Brustein’s Window, opened on Broadway in 1964 but received lukewarm reviews.
Personal Life and Passing
Hansberry married Jewish songwriter Robert Nemiroff in 1953 after meeting him during a protest. Although they divorced in 1962, they remained close collaborators. In 1964, the same year The Sign in Sidney Brustein’s Window debuted, Hansberry was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer. She passed away on January 12, 1965. Following her death, Nemiroff adapted her writings and interviews into the play To Be Young, Gifted and Black, which opened off-Broadway and enjoyed an eight-month run.
Legacy
A Raisin in the Sun is celebrated as a pivotal work in American theater and has remained relevant to audiences for decades. The play has seen multiple adaptations, including Emmy-nominated television productions in 1989 and 2008. On Broadway, it garnered Tony Awards for Best Revival of a Play in 2004 and 2014, further cementing its enduring influence.