Introduction to Lorraine Hansberrys A Raisin in the

Introduction to Lorraine Hansberry’s A Raisin in the Sun

Genre: Play Features • Acts & Scenes • Act 1. 1 = Act 1 Scene 1 • Narration in italics • Dialogue • Character names in caps WALTER: Something the matter with you this morning? RUTH: No—I'm just sleepy as the devil. What kind of eggs you want? WALTER: Not scrambled (RUTH starts to scramble eggs. ) Paper come? (RUTH points impatiently to the rolled up Tribune on the table, and he gets it and spreads it out and vaguely reads the front page. ) Set off another bomb yesterday.

Play Types • Comedy • Tragedy • Everything in between

Lorraine Hansberry (1930 -1965)

Background • • 1930: Born in Chicago Granddaughter of a freed slave 1 of 4 kids to real estate broker & teacher 1938: Moved to all-white neighborhood

Background • Community gets a court order forcing the family to move saying that there is “restrictive agreement” that 500 Chicago property owners agreed to which stated that no part of the 60 th-63 rd streets between Cottager Grove and South Park Avenues (now MLK Drive) could be “sold, leased to, or permitted to be occupied by any person of the colored race. ”

Housing Inequalities History • Jim Crow laws led to the discrimination of racial and ethnic minorities • In 1917 Buchanan v Warley made it illegal to deny housing to African Americans • BUT, 19 states created “covenants” or agreements between property owners to not rent or sell homes to minorities. • In 1968 The Fair Housing Act prohibited housing discrimination practices: • • Filtering information on availability Racial steering Blockbusting Redlining

Hansberry v Lee (1940)

Background • Activist wrote letters about feminism and homophobia • First play produced on Broadway by African American woman • First black playwright AND youngest American to win New York Critics’ Circle award • Died at 34 of pancreatic cancer

Real Life in A Raisin in the Sun • Setting: 1950’s southside of Chicago • African American family living in segregated community • Moving?

The Younger Family Ruth Mama (Lena) Big Walter Lee Beneatha “Bennie” Travis