Basically, White property owners got together in within their neighborhoods and created written agreements that banned

anyone to sell, lease, rent or transfer property to African Americans.

This was mostly for the purposes of occupancy than ownership.

By forcing African American families to inhabit small, designation housing areas when their population was growing, property owners created a large demand for apartments in this area. Because of this, African Americans were paying 25-50% more than Whites for comparable residences, in spite of the fact that they were in the lowest income group in the city

In Chicago, it has been estimated that 80% of the city is covered by such agreements and consequently the Negro population has been herded into and area which should contain only one fourth its number. Essentially families are piled one on top of another in mostly kitchenette or studio style apartments, with basically one large room.

In 1940 Carl Hansberry and African American resident in Chicago purchased and occupied a house in a white neighborhood and because of a restrictive covenant was evicted, and given no compensation for his lost property. The Missouri Supreme Court ruled that this was legal because it was enforced by a third party contract and that based on res judicata, the case could not be tried again. Hansberry with the support of NAACP lawyers took the case to the U.S. Supreme Court.

It was found that ruling res judicata to deny reconsideration of the matter was unconstitutional, allowing Hansberry to file for appeal. The case basically was important because it got the issue all the way to the national supreme court, and although didnt solve all problems, got a ruling in favor of equal treatment.

It wasnt until 1948 that it was found that Racial Covenants were not illegal, but because of the Equal Protection Clause of the 14th amendment, the courts could not enforce these covenants. Basically, if a property owner messed up and allowed an African American to occupy one of their properties the courts could not enforce any actions to evict residents, but racial covenants could still be practiced prior to inhabitation

Despite the fact that racial discrimination was morally unjust and limited the hopes and dreams of many individuals, the issue of restrictive covenants was even more basic:

Health: The death and morbidity rate is much higher for African Americans than Whites at this time. Safety: Illegitimacy, delinquency and crime are rampant

 Sickle

Cell Anemia Obesity/Diabetes Cancer Access to health care

Occurs 6X more often in AA than diabetes does in Americans Over 50,000 Americans (1/400 African Americans) < 50% chance of living past 20 Recently, few have lived past 40 Social determinants Income Education Low SES Research on treatments still currently being done Current treatments appear to help patients to a degree Preimplantation genetic diagnosis Bone marrow transplantation Cord blood transplantation Chronic blood transfusions Penicillin Prophylaxis Administration of Hydroxyurea Identification of children who are vulnerable

African American males

80% higher than white males

90% higher than white females African American 1.7X more likely to have type 2 diabetes 1 in 4 AA women >55 yoa have diabetes

African American females

5.9% of the US population have type 2 diabetes

Did not have insulin pumps and others we have today

1950s African American cancer predominance replaced white predominance

Cancer deaths in AA increased at a faster rate than cancer deaths in whites

African Americans
Highest cancer incidence rates Highest cancer mortality rates 2nd worst five-year survival rate

(Native Americans #1)

This disparity still exists today

Still research for cures Treatments chemotherapy, radiation

Compensatory programs

Previously structured race and class health system arrangements were maintained African Americans worst health care and health outcomes
Gave billions of dollars to nongovernmental hospitals Did not help disadvantaged Americans
Race and class-based admissions

Hill-Burton Act

Improvements

Not nearly as many race and class-based admissions

African American Occupations

1940s to 1950s After 1950s

Annual Earnings (Blacks vs. Whites) Civil Right Struggle

School system Social Standing

Relocation

Poor living conditions

Small space Sharing facilities

Poor eating habits Financial struggle Different economic and social views

Clybourne Park

$3,500 Payment $125 monthly note Payment 2 Floor 3 Bedroom

House appearance

Segregation was still in place at the beginning of the 50s Things did not start to change until the Brown v Board of Education case in 1954 when the court decreed that segregation was unconstitutional Despite this ruling segregation continued throughout the 50s and into the 60s in schools, public transportation, restaurants, gas stations, housing, theaters, and even the army until 1951 when they announced its desegregation

Especially in Chicago, housing was segregated Blacks were restricted to the ghetto where officials decided to build the only low-income housing When blacks tried to move into areas for white people they were met with violence In 1951 a mob burned down an entire building to evict one black resident Due to poor living conditions in black neighborhoods, the life expectancy for black people was approximately seven years shorter than for white people
Table 1. Expectations of Life at Birth (in Years), by Color and Sex, for Chicago
White Male 57.8 62.6 64.7 Female 61.7 67.2 70.8 Nonwhite Male Female 42.5 46.7 51 56.3 58.2 63.5

1930 1940 1950

Source: Table adapted from information in Otis Dudley Duncan and Beverly Duncan, The Negro Population of Chicago: A Study of Residential Succession (Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 1957), 85.

Began in 1955 and ended in 1968 Aimed to outlaw racial discrimination against African-Americans and restore their voting rights Employed methods of nonviolent resistance, protest, and civil disobedience Forms of civil disobedience included boycotts, sit-ins, and marches, as well as freedom rides The NAACP (National Association for the Advancement of Colored People) organized many campaigns and boycotts throughout the Movement and pushed for desegregation

1951 Christmas Eve bombing: KKK members bombed the home two NAACP members, killing them 1954 Brown v Board of Education: U.S. Supreme Court rules separate but equal unconstitutional 1955 Rosa Parks and the Bus Boycott: Rosa Parks is arrested for refusing to give up her seat to a white passenger on a public bus 1955 Emmett Till Emmett Till is lynched for allegedly talking to and whistling at a white woman 1957 Willie Edwards, Jr.: KKK members forced Edwards to jump to his death from a bridge into the Alabama River 1957 Little Rocks Central High School: Nine black students entered school protected by the National Guard and members of the U.S. Army, marking integration in Little Rocks schools 1959 A Raisin in the Sun debuts on Broadway

The emergence of the Civil Rights Movement brought on a revival of Ku Klux Klan organizations in the 1950s Klansmen put considerable pressure on blacks in the South not to vote By 1960, 42% of Mississippis population was black but only 2% were registered to vote The most notable Ku Klux Klan group at the time was the White Knights of Mississippi, the most militant and violent KKK in history They were responsible for many bombings, church burnings, beatings, and murders The third wave of KKK revivals

Emmett Till: After allegedly whistling at and flirting with a white woman behind the counter of a grocery store (a violation of Jim Crow laws in the South), 14year-old Till was beaten, shot to death, and thrown in a river by two white men. His mother held an opencasket funeral to bring attention to the murder. Mack Charles Parker: After being accused of kidnapping and raping a white pregnant woman, Parker was kidnapped from his prison cell by a mob who beat him, shot him twice (killing him), and then threw him into a river three days before his trial. Several other lynchings occurred and was still employed as a method of terrorizing the black population by the KKK

A Raisin in the Sun is a play primarily about dreams, as the main characters struggle to deal with the oppressive and crucial circumstances that rule their lives. Every member of the Younger family has a separate, dreamfor example Beneatha wants to become a doctor, and Walter wants to have money so that he can afford things and the basic needs for his family. The Youngers struggle to attain these dreams throughout the play mainly due to their life standard and because of their ego power to attain what the need and resigning to accept any orders, rules as set by tradition. By the end of the play, they learn that the dream of a house is the most important dream because it unites the family and clears all conflicts and the specific not burdening rules of their family keep them disciplined. Mama is the dominant character and strongly believes in the importance of keepnig a family united, and she tries to teach this value to her family as she struggles to keep them together.
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Walter and Beneatha learn the lesson about family unity at the end of the play, when Walter has to deal with the loss of the insurance money and when Beneatha denies Walter as a brother. When they begin to put the family and the familys wishes before their own, they combine their individual dreams with the familys overarching dream and as a result the outcome is great. One of the most predominant factor depicted is the role and effects of power and authority. The same idea applies in the play as well in different situations. Power and authority are always changing hands with one another. In the beginning of the play, we see Walter being annoyed everytime, is bossed around by his wife and mother. They are always telling him what to and how to do things. Walter puts up with it, only because he has a plan, simply showing his thirst for money and doing anything for it.

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The most dominating symbol in the play, Mamas plant represents both Mamas care and her dream for her family unity. Walter and Ruth, who occupy the middle ground in terms of age between Mama and Beneatha, have tempered about their dreams more than Beneatha has. Walter after such frustration then employs the phrase to illustrate how women keep men from achieving their goalsevery time a man gets excited about something he plans, a woman tries to temper his enthusiasm by telling him to eat his eggs. Though Walter and Ruth both have materialistic dreams, their dreams of wealth are not solely for self-serving purposes but rather as a mean to provide for their family and escape the South Side ghetto in which they live. Even facing such trauma, they come together to reject Mr. Lindners racist overtures which was another issue. They are still strong individuals who function as part of a family for instance When they begin to put the family and the familys wishes before their own.

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Pride thought as a negative quality, is portrayed in an extremely positive light in A Raisin in the Sun. Since the play is depicting people who have little to their name, pride is a means for them to hold on to their dignity and affirm their worth as human beings collectively. Through the announcement of Ruths pregnancy, power that Mama show cases is immensely great to ponder upon. She is at the center of her familys life, and she controls many of the interactions and dealings of the members of her household. She reminds the family of the importance of family and history, and she holds the power to make economic decisions also. In another case, when a neighborhood representative shows up and offers to buy out their house, the family doesnt hesitate to kick him out for their family betterment. The novel frames this particular decision as pride versus money, and although money does win out for a little bit, the Younger family maintains its pride in the end.
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In conclusion, Hansberry gave a very intimate depiction of the Black family in certain circumstances. The play deals with issues of sexism and homophobia, poverty and white supremacy. The daily human challenges of family responsibility, unity and love became harsher struggles in the face of inner city poverty and the common threats of white racism. We can also look upon the transformation of the challenges of an older generation of working poor in comparison to a younger generations challenges. Lorraine Hansberrys play gave great Black cultural insight into the struggles and a new hope.

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http://www.sparknotes.com/lit/raisin/theme s.html http://www.bookrags.com/essay/A_Raisin_i n_the_Sun

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