Hansberry’s “A Raisin in the Sun”
Lorraine Hansberry May 19, 1930 – January 12, 1965 African American playwright Also an author of political speeches, letters, and essays
Early Life Youngest of four children of Carl Augustus Hansberry (a prominent real estate broker) and Nannie Louise Perry She grew up on the south side of Chicago in the Woodlawn neighborhood.
Controversial Move The family then moved into an all-white neighborhood, where they faced racial discrimination Segregation in Chicago was not forced; but racial tensions naturally divided the city
Supreme Court case of Hansberry v. Lee Hansberry's father engaged in a legal battle against a racially restrictive covenant that attempted to prohibit African-American families from buying homes in the area. Though victors in the Supreme Court, Hansberry's family was subjected to what Hansberry would later describe as a "hellishly hostile white neighborhood." This experience later inspired her to write her most famous work, A Raisin in the Sun.
Basics of the Play The story is based upon her family's own experiences growing up in Chicago's Woodlawn neighborhood. A Raisin in the Sun was the first play written by a black woman to be produced on Broadway, as well as the first play with a black director (Lloyd Richards) on Broadway
Importance of the Play A Raisin in the Sun can be considered a turning point in American art and drama because it addresses so many issues important during the 1950s in the United States Hansberry creates in the Younger family one of the first honest depictions of a black family on an American stage
Importance of Play, cont. She uses black vernacular throughout the play Broaches important issues and conflicts, such as poverty, discrimination, and the construction of African-American racial identity
Thematic Elements to Look For Dreams Money Family Women’s Rights Racial Tensions and Discrimination Assimilation Cultural Heritage Self-Identity and Self-Expression
Essential Questions How do dreams help to pull us up from the struggles of everyday life? How does the death of a dream affect an individual? How can families be pivotal in both supporting and undermining the dreams of individuals? How far back do our cultural identities reach? How does persistent poverty affect families? How does materialism affect a person's attitude toward life? Why is our family the utmost important part of our life? How are people's personal lives affected by a nation's history?