Thomas Lanier Williams was born March 26, 1911 in Columbus, Mississippi.  His Father, Cornelius Coffin Williams was a salesman who spent a great deal of time away from the family.  He was raised under the influence of his clergyman grandfather. Williams had one older sister and one younger brother.  They spent much of their childhood in the home of their grandfather. In 1927, Williams got his first taste of literary acclaim when he placed third in a national essay contest sponsored by The Smart Set magazine.  The essay was entitled "Can a Good Wife Be a Good Sport?"

    Williams studied for several years at the University of Missouri, but withdrew before completing his degree and took a job in St. Louis at the International Shoe Company, where his father worked.  Other odd jobs he supported himself with included waiter, elevator operator, and theater usher.  He eventually returned to school and received a degree from the University of Iowa in 1938.  Whether in school or working in the factory, Williams was constantly writing.

    In 1939, Williams moved to New Orleans and formally adopted his college nickname "Tennessee" which was the state of his father's birth.  Although Williams' life was marked by personal disarray, mental stress, and drug addiction, he enjoyed long-term relationship with male companions and continued to be productive in his works. Tennessee Williams is considered one of America's greatest playwrights.  He was also a known homosexual.