A Raisin in the Sun was written by a famous African-American playwright, Lorraine Hansberry, in 1959. It was the first play written by a woman black and directed by a black man, Lloyd Richards, on Broadway in New York. The story of A Raisin in the Sun is based on Lorraine Hansberry's early experiences, which she and her entire family suffered, in Chicago. Hansberry's father, Carol Hansberry, also led a legal battle against a racial restrictive covenant that attempted to prevent African American families from moving into white neighborhoods. He also made history by moving his family to the white neighborhood of Chicago's Hyde Park neighborhood in 1938. Lorraine Hansberry's family's struggle inspired her to write the play. The title of the play comes from the poem by Langston Hughes which compares a dream too long deferred to a grape rotting in the sun. A Raisin in the Sun is about how the dreams and inspirations of families and individuals for a better life are not limited to their race, but can be identified by people of all backgrounds. A Raisin in the Sun takes place in the 1950s after World War II which was a time of great racism and materialism in America. It is about a black family living on the south side of Chicago and struggling with family and economic difficulties, facing issues of racism, discrimination and prejudice. The family consists of Lena Younger known as Mama; Walter Lee Younger who is an intense man, Ruth Younger who is Walter Lee's wife, Travis Younger who is Ruth and Walter's son and Beneatha Younger who is Walter's younger sister. The whole family lives in a two-bedroom apartment and has no money to live a better life. the younger ones are tired of their struggle to... middle of paper........ " Ruth responds by saying, "He is rich! " This is exactly Beneatha's point of view. She doesn't want to be in a relationship with George (boyfriend) just because he can support her financially. This is how Beneatha proves her point beyond from the surface. It seems to be her obstacle to achieving her dream of becoming a doctor She is a strong woman who faces people's negative attitude with great patience. ) said, "I know, but sometimes she acts like she doesn't have time to pass and no one has gone to college just---you know how some of our young people get when. they get a little education” (Hansberry 527 Work cited Hansberry, Lorraine “A Raisin in the Sun.” Making Literature Matter: An Anthology for Readers and Writers. Boston: Bedford/St Martin.. 2008.