122 Southern Expat (Harper Lee)

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Who was Harper Lee?

Harper Lee (April 28, 1926 – February 19, 2016) was an American novelist best known for her timeless classic To Kill a Mockingbird (1960). Her work profoundly influenced American literature, addressing themes of racial injustice, moral integrity, and compassion in the Deep South.

Born Nelle Harper Lee in Monroeville, Alabama, she was the youngest of four children. Her father, Amasa Coleman Lee, was a lawyer and newspaper editor, who inspired the character Atticus Finch. As a child, Lee developed a passion for storytelling and formed a lifelong friendship with future author Truman Capote, who would later influence her character Dill in To Kill a Mockingbird.

After studying law at the University of Alabama, Lee moved to New York City to pursue writing. In 1960, she published To Kill a Mockingbird, which became an instant success. The novel won the Pulitzer Prize and was adapted into an acclaimed 1962 film starring Gregory Peck. Its exploration of racial inequality, empathy, and moral courage cemented Lee’s place in literary history.

For decades, Lee avoided the public spotlight, publishing no other work until Go Set a Watchman (2015), a companion novel written before Mockingbird.

Harper Lee passed away in 2016 at age 89 in her hometown of Monroeville. Her legacy endures through her powerful storytelling, moral insight, and her enduring call to confront injustice with empathy and integrity.

Keywords: Harper Lee biography, To Kill a Mockingbird, Atticus Finch, American author, Pulitzer Prize, Go Set a Watchman, racial justice, classic literature.