Lorraine Vivian Hansberry (May 19, 1930 – January 12, 1965) was a pioneering American playwright and writer, renowned for being the first African-American female author to have a play performed on Broadway. Her seminal work, A Raisin in the Sun, poignantly highlights the lives of black Americans living under the shadow of racial segregation in Chicago. The title of this groundbreaking play draws from Langston Hughes' poem "Harlem," posing the evocative question, "What happens to a dream deferred? Does it dry up like a raisin in the sun?"

At the tender age of 29, Hansberry was awarded the New York Drama Critics' Circle Award, marking her as the first African-American dramatist, the fifth woman, and the youngest playwright to ever receive this honor. Her family's battle against segregation, culminating in their challenge of a restrictive covenant in the landmark 1940 U.S. Supreme Court case Hansberry v. Lee, deeply influenced her work and perspective.

Upon relocating to New York City, Hansberry joined the Pan-Africanist newspaper Freedom, collaborating with other prominent black intellectuals such as Paul Robeson and W.E.B. Du Bois. Her contributions during this time were heavily focused on the African struggles for liberation and their global implications. Additionally, Hansberry candidly wrote about her experiences as a lesbian and the oppression faced by gay individuals. Her broad impact on culture and society was immortalized in the Nina Simone song "To Be Young, Gifted and Black," a title derived from Hansberry's autobiographical play of the same name.

Hansberry's legacy continues to influence and inspire, with her work challenging societal norms and advocating for justice and equality. She was posthumously honored with Tony Award nominations and Writers Guild of America Awards for her distinguished contributions to American drama.