1. Harper Lee English I – Ms. Birtcher 2016

2. Born April 28, 1926 Died February 19, 2016 Nelle Harper Lee Monroeville, Alabama

3. Family Dad – Amasa Coleman Lee Lawyer, State Legislator, Newspaper editor and owner Mom – Frances Cunningham (Finch) Lee Possibly had Bi-polar disorder and didn’t leave the house often

4. Family Youngest of 4 children Alice, Louise, Edwin, Nelle (Grandmother’s name Ellen spelled backwards) Dad – A.C. 1880-1962 Older Sister – Alice 1911- 2014

5. Education Graduated from Monroe County High School - 1944 interested in English Literature Huntingdon College (all female) – Montgomery – 1 year University of Alabama at Tuscaloosa – Studied Law and was Newspaper Editor and Editor of school humor magazine 1 summer as exchange student at Oxford in England Returned home and dropped out of law school after 1 semester – wanted to write

6. A New Life in NYC 1949 moved to New York City to pursue her dream of being a writer Worked as a ticket agent for Eastern Airlines Became friends with Broadway composer Michael Martin Brown and wife Joy In 1956 they gave her $ for Christmas so she could quit her job and write full time

7. THE BOOK Submitted to publisher in 1957 as Go Set A Watchman Published as To Kill A Mockingbird in July 1960 Won Pulitzer Prize for Fiction in 1961 1999 voted Best Novel of the Century by Library Journal

8. Connections between book and life Childhood friend – neighbor Truman Capote is “Dill” in the book They really did have a neighbor who left them presents in a tree Harper helped Truman write In Cold Blood (1966) Truman Capote 1924-1984

9. Life After The Book The Movie – 1962 Won Academy Award for Best Screen Play Gregory Peck won Oscar for “Atticus” The attention was over-whelming Harper withdrew from public life and avoided the spotlight Harper with Gregory Peck 1916-2003

10. Quiet Seclusion Harper continued to live in Monroeville, Alabama for the rest of her life She made regular trips to NYC where she kept an apartment for many years. As of 2011 – lived in an Assisted Living Facility in Monroeville

11. Many Awards 2005 – ATTY Award for positive depiction of attorney in movie 2006 – Honorary Degree from Harvard 2007 - Presidential Medal of Freedom from President George W. Bush 2010 – National Medal of Arts from President Barak Obama

12. Then the Next Book Published July 14, 2015 Much criticism and mixed reviews The Big Question: Does this book depict Atticus as a racist? You will have to decide for yourself.

13. Other Sources The Mockingbird Next Door: Life with Harper Lee by Marja Mills Mockingbird: A Portrait of Harper Lee by Charles J. Shields

14. Much more information available Mary Badham – actress who played Scout in movie Monroe County Courthouse Monroeville Harper in the real courthouse