LEGISLATIVE RESOLUTION commemorating the 50th Anniversary of "A Raisin
in the Sun," a play by the late Lorraine Hansberry

WHEREAS, It is the sense of this Legislative Body, in keeping with its
time-honored traditions, to recognize occasions which foster ethnic
pride and enhances the profile of cultural diversity which strengthens
the fabric of the communities of New York State; and
WHEREAS, Attendant to such concern, and in full accord with its long-
standing traditions, this Legislative Body is justly proud to commem-
orate the 50th Anniversary of "A Raisin in the Sun," a play by the late
Lorraine Hansberry; and
WHEREAS, "A Raisin in the Sun" by the late Lorraine Hansberry debuted
on Broadway in 1959; the story is based upon a family's own experiences
growing up in the Washington Park Subdivision of Chicago's Woodlawn
neighborhood; and
WHEREAS, "A Raisin in the Sun" was the first play written by an Afri-
can-American woman to be produced on Broadway, as well as the first play
with an African-American director, Lloyd Richards, on Broadway; and
WHEREAS, Waiting for the curtain to rise on opening night, Lorraine
Hansberry and producer, Phillip Rose, did not expect the play to be a
success, for it had already received mixed reviews from a preview audi-
ence the night before; and
WHEREAS, The Younger family is a poor African-American family living
in an old rundown house in an African-American neighborhood; when Lena,
the mother of Walter and Beneatha, receives insurance money from the
death of her husband, everyone is arguing over what to do with the
money; and
WHEREAS, Walter wants to use it to open a liquor store with his
friends Bobo and Willy, and get rich; Beneatha wants the money so she
may go to medical school and become a doctor; Lena decides to use a part
of the insurance money to buy a new house in a white neighborhood; she
gives the rest of the money to Walter saying that he should put $3,500
dollars in an account for Beneatha so she can use it for medical school
and he gets to put the remaining amount of money in an account under his
name to use any way he wants; and
WHEREAS, Meanwhile, Walter's wife, Ruth, discovers that she is preg-
nant with their second child and considers getting an abortion, as the
quality of life would not be good for another child because their son
already sleeps on a sofa in their living room; and
WHEREAS, Meanwhile, a man named Linder shows up to talk about the
house that Lena bought; it turns out that the house is located in a
white neighborhood that does not want any African-American residents;
Linder offers to buy the house for more than Lena bought it for in an
attempt to keep them out; the family refuses and sends Linder away,
though he is careful to repeat his offer and leave a card with his phone
number on it; and
WHEREAS, As the family prepares to move into their new house, there is
a horrid surprise; Walter secretly used all the money, including
Beneatha's money for medical school, in a deal to buy a liquor store; he
gave the money to Willy, who disappeared with it; when Lena finds out
that the money is gone, she slaps Walter and faints; and
WHEREAS, Because of Walter's bad judgment, the Younger family nearly
gives up; Lena decides not to move out of the apartment, though Ruth
begs her to go through with the moving; in a final bid to fix his
mistake, Walter calls Linder again to agree to his offer; and
WHEREAS, When Linder arrives, Walter realizes that he and his family
have too much pride to be paid to not live in a place; he refuses the

deal once more and the play ends with them moving into their new home;
and
WHEREAS, The original Broadway cast included: Sidney Poitier as Walter
Lee Younger; Claudia McNeil as Lena Younger; Ruby Dee as Ruth Younger;
Diana Sands as Beneatha Younger; Ivan Dixon as Joseph Asagai; Glynn
Turman as Travis Younger; John Fiedler as Karl Linder; Lonne Elder III
as Bobo; Ed Hall and Douglas Turner Ward as Moving Men; and Louis
Gossett Jr. as George Murchison; and
WHEREAS, Westchester County was richly represented by actors who made
the words and the characters come alive in 1959; these talented actors
included Sidney Poitier, Ruby Dee, the late Ossie Davis, and the gifted
playwright herself, the late Lorraine Hansberry; now, therefore, be it
RESOLVED, That this Legislative Body pause in its deliberations to
commemorate the 50th Anniversary of "A Raisin in the Sun," a play by the
late Lorraine Hansberry that has significantly enhanced the cultural
enrichment of the State of New York, as well as contributed to the pres-
ervation of the great heritage of African-Americans; and be it further
RESOLVED, That a copy of this Resolution, suitably engrossed, be tran-
smitted to the family of the late Lorraine Hansberry.