Lorraine Hansberry wrote the play "A Raisin In The Sun", it was produced on March 11, 1959 in Ethel Barrymore Theatre located in New York. "A Raisin In The Sun" was the first drama by a produced African American women on Broadway. This play won the 1958 and 1959 New York Drama Critics Award. The title of this play has a significance impact. It shows how a family starts out good then gradually goes down hill, and then they start back up good. For instance a sun raises then sets. "A Raisin In The Sun", shows a decisive portrait of African American life in the mid-1950s.
This drama took place in a living room on the Southside of Chicago. Walter Lee "Sidney Poitier" is a black chauffer that has a dreams of better life and but he is paid below minimum wage. His mother receives a life insurance check for 10,000 dollars for her husband's death. Walter hopes to use the money to open a liquor store. His sister Beneatha "Diana Sands" has dreams of going to medical school to become doctor. Walter's and Beneatha's mother Lena Younger also known as Mama "Claudia McNeil" has a dream of owning her own home in a tidy, integrated suburb. Mama and Beneath shares a small apartment with Walter, his wife and boy. Walter's wife Ruth "Ruby Dee" is an emotionally resilient wife, and Travis "Stephen Perry" is Walter's and Ruth's child. Mama uses part of the money to put a down payment on a house. She wants to set aside 3,000 dollars of the money for Beneatha's college education. She decides to give the money to Walter Lee trusting that he will deposit 3,000 dollars of the money for Beneatha's education and the rest in his name to be used as he sees fit. However, Walter Lee puts all of the money into his business scheme, only to have it stolen by a con artist. Mr. Linder is part of the welcoming committee in the community where Mama bought the house. He tries to buy them out. Mama told Mr. Linder it was up to Walter Lee to decide he told him no and that the family will take the house.