Gone too soon: Lorraine Hansberry.
Playwright, screenwriter, essayist, and political activist, immortalized at age thirty-four when she died of pancreatic cancer, Lorraine's writings demonstrate a maturity of heart and mind far beyond her years. Lorraine spoke with clarity, wrote eloquently, thought critically about the world in which she lived.
She expressed her opinions with some serious moxxie.
Ahead of her time in advocating for the rights of other oppressed groups, Lorraine drew connections between racism, sexism, and homophobia. She was the first female playwright, and the first African-American playwright produced on Broadway with A Raisin in the Sun (1959).
In her short life, she wrote compelling stage plays, teleplays, essays, speeches, fiction and poetry.
"...her commitment of spirit, her creative literary ability and her profound grasp of the deep social issues confronting the world today will remain an inspiration to generations yet unborn."
- Martin Luther King, Jr 1965
