Gaithersburg Officials Remember Author Harper Lee

Pulitzer prize winning writer Harper Lee has died at the age of 89.

According to a statement released by HarperCollinsPublishers, Lee died in her hometown of Monroeville, Ala. Her critically acclaimed novel “To Kill a Mockingbird,” continues to have an impact on American culture and Lee received many literary awards for the book, including the Presidential Medal of Freedom.

City of Gaithersburg Mayor Jud Ashman, who is also the chair of the Gaithersburg Book Festival Committee, and City Council Vice President Mike Sesma, paid homage to the late author.

“May she rest in peace and may we continue to remember the lessons [from to ‘Kill a Mockingbird’] and may later generations  continue to read the book and remember those lessons,” Ashman said.

“Very saddened to learn of the passing of the author of one of the most important books I have ever read. Personally, ‘To Kill a Mockingbird’ is one of the most powerful pieces of modern American literature,” Sesma said in a Facebook post.

Looking for #HarperLee books in our collection? (Photo: 2015 #GaithersburgLibrary display) https://t.co/AOBajO6ot4 pic.twitter.com/XlNcQp5jnJ

— MCPL (@MCPL_Libraries) February 19, 2016

About Maureen Chowdhury

Maureen Chowdhury is a multimedia journalist with Montgomery Community Media. She can be reached at mchowdhury@mymcmedia.org and on Twitter at @MediaMaureen. Maureen authors the blog Sound Check on MyMCMedia.

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