The title of this post is from Raisin in the Sun: Act III.
From Lorraine Hansberry’s play Les Blancs: Act II, Scene 2:
TSHEMBE: I am simply saying that a device is a device, but that it also has consequences: once invented it takes on a life, a reality of its own. So, in one century, men invoke the device of religion to cloak their conquests. In another, race. Now, in both cases you and I may recognize the fraudulence of the device, but the fact remains that a man who has a sword run through him because he refuses to become a Moslem or a Christian— or who is shot in Zatembe or Mississippi because he is black—is suffering the utter reality of the device. And it is pointless to pretend that it doesn’t exist—merely because it is a lie!
We dedicate our post today to the remarkable work of American playwright Lorraine Hansberry (1930-1965).
We invite you to explore the excellent Lorraine Hansberry Literary Trust Website.
Both photos are from Loraine Hansberry Literary Trust Website
North Dakota Quarterly 