The Big Idea:

How do artists and writers draw from historic events and their own lives to tell stories? How do artists and writers reveal the hidden or missing perspectives of their own race, culture, or nationality in their work?

Activity overview:

Kerry James Marshall, Kara Walker, and Romare Bearden commemorate the African American experience through artmaking. In this lesson, you will study these artists, and see how their work relates to the famous play, A Raisin in the Sun by Lorraine Hansberry. You'll write your own one-act play that reveals a missing perspective.

Look closely:

Study the three artists at right. Be sure to listen to every video and audio clip, read every text, and zoom-in on each artwork.

In this activity you will:

1. Look at the art of Kerry James Marshall, Kara Walker, and Romare Bearden
2. Read Lorraine Hansberry's play A Raisin in the Sun and Langston Hughes', 'A Dream Deferred'
3. Write a one-act play set in your neighborhood
4. Read your play to the class and reflect on your work

You will be graded on:

1. Written notes about Kerry James Marshall, Kara Walker, and Romare Bearden and act one of Hansberry's, A Raisin in the Sun
2. Written play on the theme: 'Revealing the Missing Perspective'
3. Participation in reading of Hansberry's play and performance of your own play
4. Written self-assessment using the Studio Habits of Mind