The Civil Rights Movement was very important to Lorraine
Hansberry, because it validated, supported, and reinforced everything she says
throughout her plays. She was a very outspoken member of society, calling for
equality for everyone, not just for blacks. However, she was definitely in
favor of armed resistance against violent racists. As Olga Barrios cites,
"I
think . . . that [Blacks] must concern themselves with every single means of
struggle: legal, illegal, passive, active, violent and non-violent. That they
must harass, debate, petition, ... boycott, sing hymns, ... and shoot from
their windows when the racist come cruising their communities" (29).
She thought that Martin
Luther King, Jr. was not as effective as a protest leader as he could have been
if he were in favor of violent resistance. She strongly supported Malcolm X
when he came around, and can be considered a Black Panther forerunner (29).
Is there any evidence that her plays had an impact on the Civil Rights Movement? Was she able to help gain support from the theatre community for the Civil Rights Movement through her work?
ReplyDeleteSo glad to see how historical/political event influence theatre artist! And I agree with Audrey, is there any article or interview about how she create productions by utilizing elements/impact from Civil Rights Movement? I trust her political preference has already meant a lot to her opinion, just feel curious to think about if there is any third party critics about her. :)
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