A+Raisin+in+the+Sun

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Over the past week, we have been reading Lorraine Hansberry’s //A Raisin in the Sun//, an American Dream play that follows the story of the Youngers, a struggling African-American family from the South Side of Chicago. Throughout the course of the play, we have discussed the importance of dreams with regards to this family and how each character’s dreams have influenced the events of the plot, as the Youngers go from rags to riches and then back again. Furthermore, as we get to know each character, we see how dreams are essential if there is ever any hope for the Youngers to improve their lives.

Therefore, through Hansberry's work, we can understand the significance of dreams for all individuals, especially for people who are struggling with their positions in society. Even after the opening of the play, this concept continued to be important for the African-American community throughout the 1950's and the 1960's as well. Indeed, less than five years after the opening of //A Raisin in the Sun//, Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. delivered his famous "I Have a Dream" speech at the Lincoln Memorial as a call to action for the Civil Rights Movement. As one of the most compelling speakers in history, Dr. King advocated for racial harmony and equal rights.

Below is an excerpt of Martin Luther King, Jr. presenting his famous speech during the March on Washington, a political rally that advocated for employment, justice, and peace for various civil rights, labor, and religious organizations. Please click on the link below and watch the clip. When you are finished, respond to the prompt labeled "American Dream" in the discussion tab at the top of the page.**

[|Martin Luther King, Jr. - "I Have a Dream" - August 28, 1963]

[|Martin Luther King, Jr. - "I Have a Dream" (complete version)] [|Martin Luther King - I've Been to the Mountaintop]
 * Additional speeches by Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.**