“Never before in the entire history of the American theater has so much of the truth of Black people’s lives been seen on stage.”
Those are the words James Baldwin used to describe A Raisin in the Sun, Lorraine Hansberry’s groundbreaking play. Set between the end of WWII and 1958, the play follows a working-class Black family on the South Side of Chicago as they await a $10,000 life insurance payout they hope will change their lives.
Hansberry was only 28 when the play debuted in 1959 and immediately made history. In addition to being nominated for four Tony Awards, including Best Play and Best Direction, it racked up a litany of firsts:
English (US)