Harper Lee
- Born:
- April 28, 1926, Monroeville, Alabama, USA
- Died:
- February 19, 2016, Monroeville, Alabama, USA
- Nationality:
- American
- Profession(s):
- Author
Early Life and Education
- Born Nelle Harper Lee in Monroeville, Alabama, the youngest of four children.
- Her father, Amasa Coleman Lee, was a lawyer and served in the Alabama State Legislature.
- Childhood friend of Truman Capote.
- Studied at Huntingdon College and the University of Alabama, studying law, though she did not complete her degree.
- Spent a year as an exchange student at Oxford University.
Career and Major Achievements
- Moved to New York City in 1949 and worked as a reservation clerk for Eastern Air Lines and later for British Overseas Airways.
- Received financial support from friends in 1957 to devote herself full-time to writing.
- Her first novel, To Kill a Mockingbird, was published in 1960 and became an immediate critical and commercial success.
- Won the Pulitzer Prize for Fiction in 1961 for To Kill a Mockingbird.
- Served on the National Council on the Arts.
- Largely retreated from public life following the success of her first novel, declining interviews and public appearances.
Notable Works
- To Kill a Mockingbird (1960)
- Go Set a Watchman (2015) - Published as a sequel, though written earlier. Its publication sparked considerable controversy and debate.
Awards and Recognition
| Year | Award | Work |
|---|---|---|
| 1961 | Pulitzer Prize for Fiction | To Kill a Mockingbird |
| 1961 | Brotherhood Award of the National Conference of Christians and Jews | To Kill a Mockingbird |
| 1966 | University of Alabama's Distinguished Alumna Award | N/A |
| 2007 | Presidential Medal of Freedom | N/A |
Legacy and Impact
Harper Lee's To Kill a Mockingbird remains a cornerstone of American literature and is widely studied in schools. It has had a profound influence on discussions of race, justice, and childhood innocence. Teachers often use tools like a Nelle Lee Harper biography graphic organizer to help students understand her life and connect it to the themes in her work.