Harper Lee

Biography

Nelle Harper Lee (1926–2016) was an American novelist best known for her groundbreaking work, To Kill a Mockingbird (1960). Born in Monroeville, Alabama, Lee was deeply influenced by the people and social climate of the American South, which shaped her keen observations on race, morality, and human behavior.

Lee studied law at the University of Alabama but left before completing her degree to pursue writing. To Kill a Mockingbird, her only novel for decades, became an instant classic, exploring themes of racial injustice, empathy, and moral courage through the eyes of young Scout Finch. The novel won the Pulitzer Prize in 1961 and has been translated into multiple languages, remaining a staple of American literature.

Though she published little else in her lifetime, Lee’s work continues to resonate for its honesty, compassion, and enduring relevance in discussions of justice and equality.