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This A Raisin in the Sun by Lorraine Hansberry activity also includes:
- Photograph of apartments on Chicago’s South Side, 1941
- Excerpt from a Chicago commission report, 1943
- Photo of an African American woman working as a domestic, 1939
- Photo of an African American chauffeur, 1939
- Photo of African American women in 1950s attire
- Photo of a bride and groom in traditional Nigerian dress
- Photo of a female customer at the Natural Kuumba Hair Salon
- Photo of crowd gathered after a white supremacist protest, 1946
- Television news clip about integration challenges in a Fort Worth, Texas, 1956
- Political cartoon about war and residential integration, 1967
- Photo of Lorraine Hansberry at the time A Raisin in the Sun opened in New Haven, Connecticut, 1959
- Photo of actors playing Walter Younger, Ruth Younger, Beneatha Younger, and Karl Lindner, 1959
- Photo of actors playing Walter Younger, Ruth Younger, and George Murchison, 1959
- Photo of actors playing Walter, Ruth, and Beneatha Younger, 1959
- Activity
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A set of 14 primary sources provides background for a study of Lorraine Hansberry's drama, A Raisin in the Sun. Featured are images from stage productions of the play, white supremacy protests, a clip from a television interview, and political cartoons. As they read the play and study the primary sources, readers are asked to consider if there has been "any real progress."
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CCSS:
Adaptable
Concepts
a raisin in the sun, lorraine hansberry, african american culture, african american history, african americans, famous african americans, black history month, women's history, american literature, primary source analysis, primary source images, primary sources, compare and contrast, point of view, author's perspective, author's purpose, guided inquiry, evidence, supporting evidence, textual evidence, mood, characterization, dramatic plays, historical context, identity, post world war ii, discrimination
Instructional Ideas
- Langston Hughes' poem "Harlem" can be found here
- Have class members journal about a dream they have for the future, possible impediments that might interfere with them achieving their dream, and strategies they could employ to achieve the dream
- Ask other groups to research the Supreme Court case Hansberry v Lee
Classroom Considerations
- Presumes a protocol has been established to permit a safe, respectful discussion of racism, desegregation, and prejudice
Pros
- The sources capture the attitudes, conflicts, and challenges facing African Americans during the time period
- The packet includes a teaching guide with discussion questions and activities
Cons
- None