Whereas Nelle Harper Lee was born on April 28, 1926, to Amasa Coleman Lee and Frances Finch in Monroeville, Alabama;
Whereas Nelle Harper Lee wrote the novel To Kill a Mockingbird
portraying life in the 1930s in the fictional small southern town of Maycomb, Alabama, which was modeled on Ms. Lee’s hometown of Monroeville, Alabama;
Whereas To Kill a Mockingbird
addressed the issue of racial inequality in the United States by revealing the humanity of a community grappling with moral conflict;
Whereas To Kill a Mockingbird
was first published in 1960 and was awarded the Pulitzer Prize in 1961;
Whereas To Kill a Mockingbird
was the basis for the 1962 Oscar-winning film of the same name starring Gregory Peck;
Whereas To Kill a Mockingbird
is one of the great American novels of the 20th century, having been published in more than 40 languages and having sold over 30 million copies;
Whereas in 2007, Nelle Harper Lee was inducted into the American Academy of Arts and Letters;
Whereas in 2007, President George W. Bush awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom to Nelle Harper Lee for her great contributions to literature and observed To Kill a Mockingbird
has influenced the character of our country for the better
and As a model of good writing and humane sensibility, this book will be read and studied forever
; and
Whereas To Kill a Mockingbird
is celebrated each year in Monroeville, Alabama, through annual public performances featuring local amateur actors: Now, therefore, be it
That the House of Representatives—
(1)recognizes the historic milestone of the 50th anniversary of the publication of To Kill a Mockingbird
; and
(2)honors Nelle Harper Lee for her outstanding achievement in the field of American literature in authoring To Kill a Mockingbird
.
Lorraine C. Miller,Clerk.