What inspired Lorraine Hansberry to write A Raisin in the Sun?

Lorraine Hansberry drew inspiration from personal experience when she sat down to write a play about a working class family on the South Side of Chicago. See how she worked to find the words to describe their hopes and struggles, and how she pressed on to complete “A Raisin in the Sun.”

What is the significance of Raisin in the Sun?

Lorraine Hansberry’s Raisin in the Sun is a monumental play in the theatrical world. Produced in 1959, it became the first play written by an African-American woman to hit the stage and was later nominated for several Tony Awards. The play touched many controversial themes of the time including racial discrimination and poverty.

Who are the actors in the movie A Raisin in the Sun?

Ruby Dee as Ruth, Claudia McNeil as Lena, Glynn Turman as Travis, Sidney Poitier as Walter, and John Fiedler as Karl Lindner. With a cast in which all but one character is Black, A Raisin in the Sun was considered a risky investment, and it took over a year for producer Philip Rose to raise enough money to launch it.

What inspired Hansberry to write her drama?

Hansberry drew on the lives and the personalities she grew up with on the South Side of Chicago for her drama. She struggled to find the words to capture their hopes dreams and frustrations. Bob didn’t rebuke me at all except with a look.

Why is a Raisin in the Sun still relevant today?

Times have changed greatly since Lorraine Hansberry wrote A Raisin in the Sun. But her play remains a classic, with its themes of dreams and struggle, family and the home, still resonating today.

Why did Hansberry choose to focus on the working class?

She wanted to focus on the working class. She wanted them to be in struggle against racial discrimination, and she wanted them to come through struggle and to make some kind of heroic choice. Hansberry drew on the lives and the personalities she grew up with on the South Side of Chicago for her drama.