In this unit, students will continue to develop their understanding of racism in America and its impact on those who experience it. Hansberry’s play is set approximately one hundred years after Douglass’s narrative and the freeing of slaves; despite this progression of time, she reveals the continuing struggle for Black Americans to achieve both liberation from racism and to access the myth of the “American Dream.” This drama focuses on the three generations of the Younger family, who live on the Southside of Chicago. Hansberry’s script shines a spotlight on the generational, gender, and racial conflicts during a key era in our history: the Civil Rights movement and the early days of the women’s movement. Alluding to Langston Hughes’ poem “Harlem,” more commonly referred to as “Dream Deferred,” Hansberry uses her multi-layered characters and their experiences to build a telling portrait of the human consequences for those whose dreams are constantly pushed aside. It also explores the multiplicity of Black identity in this country and globally, making connections between Civil Rights and anti-colonial resistance during the era of decolonization and African Liberation. 

Big Ideas:

• Importance of Dreams

  • For many people, especially marginalized communities, the American Dream is a myth.

  • When people fail to attain their dreams, it’s possible that they blame and resent those around them.

  • Unfulfilled dreams cause a person to become bitter and lose hope.

  • One generation’s dream differs from the next. Generations can learn from each other. 

• Family

  • If a family’s conflicting dreams threaten to tear them apart, the individuals must change their dreams in order to remain united.

  • One needs family in times of struggle.

• Gender

  • Traditional family and gender roles can be a source of internal and external conflict.

• Race & Racism

  • Racial identity takes many forms; there is no single “right” way to be Black

  • Homeownership is an important part of class mobility; it has been difficult for Black Americans to accumulate wealth and property as a direct result of discriminatory practices and policies. 

  • Racial (and gender) prejudice often presents unseen barriers.