Shahara Dente’ |
School: Tougaloo College
Major: English Mentor: Dr. Ethel Young-Minor Expected Graduation Date: May 2006 Organizations & Honors: • Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc. Email: s_dente@yahoo.com |
ABSTRACT
Or does it explode? Representing Black female reality in A Raisin in the Sun (1959)
| Between the late 1950s and 1970s America's racial landscape was turbulent as citizens fought to transform the country from a space filled with resentment and prejudice to a place of inclusion and understanding. During this era, many black playwrights used their dramas to stand up, and out, against racial oppression. Their plays were designed to not only showcase their talents and abilities as writers, but to also displaying their keen socio-political awareness. This era in African American Theatre history often referred to as the Black Arts and Theater Movement (BATM), brought radical visions of Black culture to the American stage. Though women were not credited with being the leaders of the BATM, they served in several key capacities. Lorraine Hansberry’s A Raisin in the Sun, for example, was an inspirational piece to many women. This study "takes the time to look and listen" to the intricacy of Black female voices during BATM, by examining how Lorraine Hansberry configures Black womanhood in her signature drama, A Raisin in the Sun. |