New York: Random House, 1959. First Edition. Lorraine Hansberry’s tour de force was the first Broadway play produced to be written by a Black woman. A Raisin in the Sun explores the dynamics of a Black family in America as they confront prejudice and the profound barriers due to racism in all aspects of their daily lives. Before its debut, Hansberry worked as a Black civil rights activist and journalist for Black papers, and is now known to have been a closeted lesbian, leading to intense isolation even after she was catapulted into fame.

The play debuted at The Ethel Barrymore Theatre in 1958 and the book was published the following year, it includes photographs of the original production, and therefore documents a crucial moment in the history of performance arts.

Hardcover, 142 pp. Quarter cream cloth and textured marbled brown card, with paper label photograph of actor Glynn Turman as Travis in centre. Some wear on top and bottom edges of cloth in the spine, overall in very good condition. Dust jacket is in good condition, with chips at spine and a few small closed tears on the bottom edge. Small watermark on title pages, endpapers slightly foxed.