Summer Events Planned to Celebrate 50th Birthday of 'To Kill a Mockingbird'
Lawyers and others are planning a series of summer events to wish a Happy 50th Birthday to a famous book that revolves around a Southern trial and the small-town lawyer who represents the African-American defendant accused of raping a white woman.
There will be readings from To Kill a Mockingbird featuring celebrities such as Tom Brokaw (he is to read in a Bozeman, Mont., bookstore on July 11) and courtroom reenactments of the case, reports the New York Times.
But the still-living author of the best-selling, critically acclaimed novel isn’t expected to participate: Harper Lee, 84, reportedly is unhappy about the way she was quoted after the book made its debut in 1960 and believes authors should not act like celebrities. She is profiled in the June issue of the Smithsonian magazine.
The town of Monroeville, Ala., where she lives, is planning to celebrate the book’s 50th with a four-day party including a marathon reading of the book in the county courthouse and a party on the courthouse lawn, the newspaper says.
Additional and related coverage:
ABA Journal: “25 Greatest Legal Movies”
ABAJournal.com: “What’s Your Favorite Legal Movie?”
ABAJournal.com: “Likely ABA President Stands With Atticus”
ABAJournal.com: “‘Mockingbird’ Legacy: Remembrance of Racist Times Past”
Gannett: “Area events planned to mark 50th anniversary of ‘Mockingbird’”
