A Raisin in the Sun

Lorraine Hansberry's play *A Raisin in the Sun* first appeared on Broadway in 1959. Its title is borrowed from Langston Hughes's poem "Harlem," sometimes called "A Dream Deferred." The plot follows a Black family living on Chicago's South Side as they try to use a life insurance payment from their father's death to better their lives, exploring themes of housing discrimination, racism, and assimilation. The New York Drama Critics' Circle named it the best play of 1959, and later publications like *The Independent* and *Time Out* have ranked it among the finest plays ever written.

The story centers on the Youngers: Walter and Ruth, their son Travis, Walter's mother Lena (called Mama), and his younger sister Beneatha. They live in a cramped, run-down two-bedroom apartment. Walter works as a limousine driver but dreams of more, hoping to invest in a liquor store with his acquaintances Willy and Bobo. Ruth is more content with their situation. After the father's death, Mama waits for a $10,000 insurance check. Walter feels entitled to the money, but Mama objects to alcohol on religious grounds, and Beneatha reminds him that Mama decides how to spend it. Mama eventually uses part of the money as a down payment on a house in a white neighborhood, choosing it because it is much cheaper than a Black one. She then gives the remaining $6,500 to Walter to invest, telling him to set aside $3,000 for Beneatha's education. Walter gives all the money to Willy, who runs off with it, crushing Walter's and Beneatha's dreams but not costing them the house. Bobo brings the bad news.

Meanwhile, Karl Lindner, a white man from the neighborhood they plan to move into, offers to buy them out, vaguely threatening that he wants to avoid racial tensions. The family initially refuses, but after losing the investment, Walter considers accepting the offer, horrifying his family. Mama argues that while money is worth working for, they should never take it if it comes with the message that they are not fit to share the same earth.

Beneatha's path is shaped by two potential love interests: George Murchison, a wealthy, educated man who denies his African heritage and acts superior, which Beneatha finds disgusting, and Joseph Asagai, a Yoruba student from Nigeria who teaches her about her heritage and gives her thoughtful gifts from Africa. He criticizes her for straightening her hair, calling it "mutilation." When Beneatha is distraught over the lost money, Joseph scolds her for her materialism, and she eventually agrees that things will improve with effort, considering his proposal to marry him and move to Nigeria to practice medicine.

Walter sees his salvation in rising to George's level and escaping Joseph's culture, which he blames for his poverty. He redeems himself and his family's pride at the end by refusing the buyout, declaring they are proud of who they are and will try to be good neighbors. The play ends with the family leaving for their new home, facing an uncertain future.

A character named Mrs. Johnson, the Youngers' nosy neighbor, appears in a scene cut from the Broadway production and most later performances due to time and logistics. She visits shortly after the family buys the house, cannot understand why they would move to a white neighborhood, and cattily jokes that she will likely read about them being killed in a bombing. The scene provides comic relief but also mocks those too afraid to stand up for their rights. In an introduction, Robert B. Nemiroff explains it is included in print to shift attention from a seemingly happy ending to a more violent reality inspired by Hansberry's own experiences.

The Broadway production was considered risky because almost all characters were Black, and it took producer Philip Rose eighteen months to raise funds. There was debate over whether to focus on the mother or the son. When the play reached New York, Sidney Poitier emphasized the son, finding his calling and captivating audiences. After a pre-Broadway tour with positive reviews, it opened at the Ethel Barrymore Theatre on March 11, 1959, moved to the Belasco Theatre on October 19, 1959, and closed on June 25, 1960, after 530 performances. Directed by Lloyd Richards, the cast included Sidney Poitier as Walter Lee Younger, Ruby Dee as Ruth Younger, Ivan Dixon as Joseph Asagai, Lonne Elder III as Bobo, John Fiedler as Karl Lindner, and Louis Gossett Jr. as George Murchison.