Hansberry, Lorraine: 1930-1965

A Raisin in the Sun, 1959 - Information about the Book

General Information | Facts | Articles

General Information
- The play is essentially about dreams, as the main characters struggle to deal with the oppressive circumstances that rule their lives.
- Information from Wikipedia
Facts
- The New York Drama Critics' Circle named it the best play of 1959
- Lorraine Hansbery's parents were both civil rights activists, and moved into a white Chicago neighborhood when she was eight years old. They were met by an angry mob. A civil trial ensued, and it was this experience that formed the basis for her most successful play, A Raisin in the Sun (1959).
  from MPR
  Think about the sentence in the play: "We have decided to move into our house because my father - he earned it for us brick by brick. We don't want to make no trouble for nobody or fight no causes, and we will try to be good neighbors. And that's all we got to say about that."
- List of Characters
- Unknown Words and Expressions (html, pdf, word documents) and topics for ESL class discussion.
Articles
- Author Lorraine Hansberry discusses the characters in the play, and how each of them reflect ideals that she herself carries. WNYC Radio; August 4, 1961
- Soyica Colbert, Georgetown College, discusses "A Raisin in the Sun." WNYC Radio; May 26, 2021
- The Ghetto Trap: "The setting of A Raisin in the Sun is the ghetto of Chicago, where most blacks lived. These districts consisted of overpriced, overcrowded, and poorly-maintained apartments and homes." Brandon Colas; October 2006
- Author Lorraine Hansberry discusses her play. The Chicago History Museum; May 12, 1959
  Transcript
- Audio (8:38)
  Report on the play with excerpts from an interview with Lorraine Hansberry. In this report Cheryl Corley reports that the play has its roots in Hansberry's experiences as the daughter of wealthy Chicago parents. NPR Radio; March 11, 2002
- Sophie Okonedo and Anika Noni Rose talk about their roles in “A Raisin in the Sun.” WNYC Radio, New York; June 3, 2014
- Introduction with Phylicia Rashad, the actors, and a number of scholars