Hansberry, Lorraine Vivian, 1930-1965

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Lorraine Hansberry (born May 19, 1930, Chicago, Illinois - died January 12, 1965, New York City), African-American playwright, writer and activist, is best known for her play, "A Raisin in the Sun." Born in 1930 in Chicago to real estate broker, Carl Hansberry and Nannie Louise Perry (her uncle was the Africanist scholar, William Leo Hansberry), Lorraine grew up on the south side of Chicago. "A Raisin in the Sun" was inspired by her father's legal battle against a racially restrictive covenant that prohibited African-American families from buying homes in certain neighborhoods.

In 1950 Hansberry moved to New York City to become a writer and served as an editor for Paul Robeson's newspaper, "Freedom." In 1959, "A Raisin in the Sun" became the first play written by an African-American woman produced on Broadway. The play received the New York Drama Critics Award making Hansberry the youngest and first African American to receive the Award. Hansberry's second play, "The Sign in Sidney Brustein's Window," was mounted as she battled pancreatic cancer. She died in 1965 at age 34.

Archival Resources
Role Title Holding Repository
referencedIn Rich, Adrienne, 1929-2012. Papers, 1927-1999 Arthur and Elizabeth Schlesinger Library on the History of Women in America‏
referencedIn Alice Childress papers, 1937-1997 Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture. Rare Books, Manuscripts, and Archives Section
referencedIn Schultz, Chiz. Charles "Chiz" Schultz collection, 1968-1990. New York Public Library System, NYPL
creatorOf Hansberry, Lorraine, 1930-1965. Les blancs / by Lorraine Hansberry, 1998. New York Public Library System, NYPL
referencedIn Lucille Lortel papers The New York Public Library. Billy Rose Theatre Division.
referencedIn Richard Hoffman - Lorraine Hansberry collection, 1959-1986 University of Delaware Library - Special Collections
creatorOf Hansberry, Lorraine, 1930-1965. A raisin in the sun : [script]. HCL Technical Services, Harvard College Library
creatorOf Black Theatre Canada Archives. A Raisin in The Sun / by Lorraine Hansberry, 1980-81 - production photos. University of Guelph. McLaughlin Library
referencedIn Billops, Camille. Camille Billops and James V. Hatch archives at Emory University. Emory University. Special Collections and Archives
referencedIn Fuller, Hoyt, 1923-1981. Hoyt Fuller papers, 1940-1981. Atlanta University Center, Robert W. Woodruff Library
referencedIn Charles "Chiz" Schultz collection, 1968-1990 Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture. Rare Books, Manuscripts, and Archives Section
creatorOf Hansberry, Lorraine, 1930-1965. A raisin in the sun / by Lorraine Hansbery, 2004. New York Public Library System, NYPL
creatorOf Black Theatre Canada Archives. A Raisin in the Sun / by Lorraine Hansberry ; directed by Bobby Ghisays, 1981 - performance file. University of Guelph. McLaughlin Library
referencedIn Philip Rose papers, 1944-2007 Beinecke Rare Book and Manuscript Library
referencedIn Brown, Wesley, 1945-. A prophet among them ; a play in two acts / by Wesley Brown, 2005. New York Public Library System, NYPL
referencedIn Miscellaneous screen, stage, and radio scripts, ca. 1859-2007. Harvard Theater Collection, Houghton Library, Harvard College Library, Harvard University
creatorOf Black Theatre Canada Archives. A Raisin in the Sun / by Lorraine Hansberry, 1981 - house program. University of Guelph. McLaughlin Library
referencedIn Elmer Rice letters from various correspondents, 1915-1967. Harvard Theater Collection, Houghton Library, Harvard College Library, Harvard University
creatorOf Hansberry, Lorraine, 1930-1965. Lorraine Hansberry's Les blancs : manuscripts, 1969-1970. University of Minnesota, Minneapolis
creatorOf Black Theatre Canada Archives. A Raisin in The Sun / by Lorraine Hansberry, 1980 - reviews and articles. University of Guelph. McLaughlin Library
creatorOf Hansberry, Lorraine, 1930-1965. Lorraine Hansberry's : les blancs / Lorraine Hansberry. University of Minnesota, Minneapolis
referencedIn Guide to the Daily Worker and Daily World Photographs Collection, 1920-2001 Tamiment Library and Robert F. Wagner Labor Archives
creatorOf Rice, Elmer, 1892-1967,. Elmer Rice letters from various correspondents, 1915-1967. Houghton Library
referencedIn Childress, Alice. Alice Childress papers, 1937-1997. New York Public Library System, NYPL
referencedIn Du Bois, Shirley Graham, 1896-1977. Papers, 1865-1998 (inclusive), 1905-1975 (bulk). Arthur and Elizabeth Schlesinger Library on the History of Women in America‏
creatorOf Lorraine Hansberry papers, 1947-1988 Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture. Rare Books, Manuscripts, and Archives Section
creatorOf Davidon, Ann Morrissett. Ann Morrissett Davidon and William C. Davidon papers, 1949- Swarthmore College, Peace Collection, SCPC
referencedIn Rich, Adrienne Cecile. Papers, 1927-1999 (inclusive). Arthur and Elizabeth Schlesinger Library on the History of Women in America‏
creatorOf Hansberry, Lorraine, 1930-1965. Lorraine Hansberry papers, 1947-1988. New York Public Library System, NYPL
referencedIn Papers of Shirley Graham Du Bois, 1865-1998 (inclusive), 1905-1975 (bulk) Arthur and Elizabeth Schlesinger Library on the History of Women in America‏
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associatedWith Baldash, Seymour L. person
associatedWith Baldwin, James, 1924-1987. person
associatedWith Bancroft, Anne, 1931-2005. person
associatedWith Bates, Daisy. person
associatedWith Black Theatre Canada Archives. corporateBody
associatedWith Black Theatre Canada Archives. corporateBody
associatedWith Black Theatre Canada Archives. corporateBody
associatedWith Black Theatre Canada Archives. corporateBody
associatedWith Bond, Julian, 1930- person
associatedWith Bond, Timothy, 1942- person
associatedWith Bontemps, Arna, 1902-1973. person
associatedWith Brown, Oscar person
associatedWith Brown, Oscar. person
associatedWith Brown, Wesley, 1945- person
associatedWith Burnham, Louis E. person
associatedWith Camp Unity (New York, N.Y.) corporateBody
associatedWith Childress, Alice. person
associatedWith Communist Party of the United States of America. corporateBody
associatedWith Davidon, Ann Morrissett. person
associatedWith Davis, Ossie person
associatedWith Diddy, 1969- person
associatedWith Du Bois, Shirley Graham, 1896-1977. person
associatedWith Du Bois, W. E. B. (William Edward Burghardt), 1868-1963. person
associatedWith Foreman, James, 1928-2005. person
associatedWith Fuller, Hoyt, 1923-1981. person
associatedWith Gresham-Nemiroff, Jewell Handy, 1923-2005. person
associatedWith Hansberry, William Leo. person
associatedWith Hoffman, Richard. person
associatedWith Hughes, Langston, 1902-1967. person
associatedWith Inter-American Congress for Peace (1952 : Montevideo, Uruguay) corporateBody
associatedWith Jackson, Mahalia, 1911-1972. person
associatedWith Kitt, Eartha. person
associatedWith Labor Youth League. corporateBody
associatedWith Leon, Kenny. person
associatedWith Lomax, Louis E., 1922-1970. person
associatedWith Lortel, Lucille person
associatedWith Marshall, Thurgood, 1908-1993. person
associatedWith Martin, Helen, 1909-2000. person
associatedWith Mayfield, Julian, 1928- person
associatedWith McDonald, Audra. person
spouseOf Nemiroff, Robert B., 1929-1991 person
associatedWith New York Public Library for the Performing Arts. Billy Rose Theatre Division. Theatre on Film and Tape Archive. corporateBody
associatedWith New York Public Library for the Performing Arts. Billy Rose Theatre Division. Theatre on Film and Tape Archive. corporateBody
associatedWith Rashad, Phylicia, 1948- person
associatedWith Rice, Elmer, 1892-1967, person
associatedWith Rich, Adrienne, 1929-2012 person
associatedWith Rich, Adrienne Cecile. person
associatedWith Robeson, Eslanda Goode, 1896-1965. person
associatedWith Robeson, Paul person
associatedWith Robeson, Paul. person
associatedWith Rose, Philip, 1921-2011 person
associatedWith Saddler, Donald person
associatedWith Schultz, Chiz. person
associatedWith SHIRLEY GRAHAM DU BOIS, 1896-1977 person
associatedWith Worthy, William, 1921- person
Place Name Admin Code Country
Chicago IL US
New York (State)--New York
Subject
African American actors
African American authors
African American dramatists
African American families
African American men
African American political activists
African Americans
African American theater
African American women
African American women
American drama
American drama
Black author
Families, Black
Civil rights workers
Communists
Communists
Dramatists, American
Home ownership
Imperialism
Insurance claims
Political activists
Race relations
Racism
Television programs
Women in the theater
Women in the theater
Occupation
Activity

Person

Birth 1930-05-19

Death 1965-01-12

Americans

English

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