Chicago Black History: Civil Rights Activist Carl Hansberry

Reset with Sasha-Ann Simons

“A Raisin in the Sun” is a Chicago classic. The play by Lorainne Hansberry tells the story of a Black family looking to move out of a cramped South Side apartment and defy social and political limits to realize their dreams. There would be no “A Raisin in the Sun” without Lorraine’s father Carl Hansberry, a real estate broker turned civil rights activist who helped end restrictive covenant laws that prevent certain people from buying and living on a property. Reset learns more about Carl Hansberry with Gabrielle Randle-Bent, dramaturg, University of Chicago professor and associate artistic director at the Court Theatre. For a full archive of Reset interviews, head over to wbez.org/reset.