Lorraine Hansberry Timeline | Timetoast Timelines

1930

Family background

Her father, Carl, was a real-estate broker and civic leader, and her mother, Nannie, was a driving school instructor and ward committeewoman.
The Hansberry family participated in the racial justice movements of the era, and her father was a key activist in challenging discriminatory housing policies. Her family was considered as upper-middle class, however they were often considered "rich".
May 19, 1930

Birth

She was a American playwright and writer who was born in May 19, 1930 in Chicago Illinois. She is well known for being the first African-American female to have a play performed on Broadway. (The picture is a representation, it is not her).
Oct 25, 1940

Hansberry vs Lee

Lorraine's family bought property in a white-only Chicago neighborhood, leading to a court challenge by Anna Lee, a white signer of a restrictive covenant. The U.S. Supreme Court ruled in Hansberry's favor, stating the covenant's enforcement was invalid due to inadequate representation. This decision was a key turning point in eliminating legal barriers to housing equality for African Americans.
1948

College Studies.

Hansberry enrolled at University of Wisconsin-Madison in 1948 and initially studied visual arts, but her interest in theater grew during her time there, particularly after seeing a production of Sean O'Casey's "Juno and the Paycock"
1948

Highschool Graduation

Lorraine graduated from Englewood High School in Chicago, where she first became interested in theater.
1948

Political Participation

She wrote in favor of the Mau Mau rebellion in Kenya, worked on the Progressive Party's 1948 presidential campaign, and reported on the execution of an African American man who was put to death following a three-minute deliberation by an all-white jury.
1950

Theater Passion.

Hansberry moved to New York City and attended the New School, where she focused on writing and theater.
1951

Freedom Newspaper Participation

Lorraine Hansberry worked at the Freedom newspaper, a monthly African-American interest sheet that ran between 1950 and 1955. She first worked as a subscription clerk and then as an associate editor. At Freedom, she published a number of articles on local, national, and international issues, and her assignments included writing about the biggest social and political issues of the times, such as the Willie McGee case and the organization "Sojourners for Truth and Justice.".
Jun 20, 1953

Romantic Life

She met Robert Nemiroff for the first time, a Jewish playwright whose political ideology she shared, during a protest against racial discrimination at New York University. They were wedded on June 20, 1953 at her parents' home in Chicago.
1956

Fulltime Writing Dedication

In 1956, Lorraine Hansberry's husband co-wrote the hit song "Cindy, Oh Cindy" with Burt D'Lugoff. The royalties from this song allowed Hansberry to quit her job and dedicate herself to writing full-time.
1957

The Cristal Stair

Completes her first major play, The Crystal Stair, later retitled A Raisin in the Sun.
1959

Rewards

Wins New York Drama Critics’ Circle Award (making her the youngest, fifth woman, and first Black person to do so). Nominated for a Tony Award
Nov 4, 1959

One of her Biggest Hits.

She plays one of her biggest hits in her career "A Rising in the Sun" . She was 29 years old at the time.
The play premiered on Broadway and was a significant milestone as it was the first play by an African American woman to be produced on Broadway. This play won best play of the year.
1960

Screenplay Adaptation

Lorraine Hansberry wrote the screenplay for A Raisin in the Sun. The film adaptation, which starred Sidney Poitier and Ruby Dee, was released later and it was directed by Daniel Petrie.
1961

@Cannes Film Festival

In this year she wins award @ Cannes Film Festival and is nominated for best screen play.
1962

Divorce

Lorraine Hansberry divorced her husband, in 1962. Although they separated in 1957, their professional relationship continued.
1963

The beginning of Health Issues.

This year, she was hospitalized unexpectedly and unexplainable. However, tests suggested cancer.
1963

Civil Rights Involvement

She and James Baldwin were among a group of artists that met with U.S. Attorney General Robert F. Kennedy in 1963 in an effort to start a conversation between activists and the government. During the discussion, Hansberry was very outspoken and unsuccessfully urged Kennedy to have a "moral commitment" on the civil rights problem instead of seeing it as a legal or social one.
1964

The Sign in Sidney Brustein’s Window.

Lorraine Hansberry wrote "The Sign in Sidney Brustein's Window" from around 1960 to 1964. It premiered on Broadway in October 1964. Hansberry began working on the play in 1960, inspired by events in her own life and the political climate of the time.
1965

References
Jun 12, 1965

Death

She died of pancreatic cancer at 34. The Sign closed the same day. At her funeral, held at the Church of the Master near Harlem's Morningside Park, some 700 mourners filled the church.