1. A RAISIN IN THE SUN BY LORRAINE HANSBERRY

2. BACKGROUND  Title comes from Langston Hughes’s poem  African-American outlook on the American Dream  Written in 1959 by Lorraine Hansberry  Became a huge success despite belief that it would not gain universal acceptance  The play actually appealed to both white and black audiences

3. THE PLAY  Action in the story follows the trials that an African-American family faces while attempting to leave behind the poverty of post WWII Southside Chicago  The family awaits the arrival of a $10,000 life insurance check following the death of Walter Younger, Sr., the head of the Younger family  Each family member, including Walter’s widow, his son, his daughter-in-law, his daughter, and his grandson, has a plan for what to do with the money that would fulfill a personal dream  The pursuit of these conflicting dreams has an intense effect on the family’s relationships

4. THEMES  Stereotyping and prejudice  Dreams and dreams deferred  Conflicts involved with expectations  Testing the strength of family ties  Cycles of poverty  Assimilationism vs. traditional cultural observance  Emerging revolutions related to integration and women’s rights  Pride and integrity

5. HISTORICAL NOTES  The Great Migration was the movement of millions of African-Americans who were seeking relief from racism and searching for better jobs by moving from southern to northern U.S. cities. In 1895, 85% of African-Americans lived in the South; by 1960 it was only 42%  “Block busting” was a term used for the fear and prejudice that arose when African- Americans moved to all white neighborhoods. Frequently these neighborhoods would go from being all white to all black. This prejudice still crops up even in the present time.