Racial Discrimination in Housing:

A Raisin in the Sun

S. Maloney

Harry S. Truman High School

English

INTRODUCTION

One of the central issues in Lorraine Hansberry’s A Raisin in the Sun is the Younger family’s planned move to a house in an all-white neighborhood. Mama’s decision to buy a house in Clybourne Park prompts a combination of consternation and envy—the family wants a better life, but they are made clearly aware of the kind of reception they can expect in their new home. Even Mrs. Johnson, a family “friend” responds to the plan with a warning about the kinds of violence the Younger family might encounter from their new neighbors.

Discrimination in housing—particularly based on race or religion still exits. Some homeowners refuse to sell to buyers of a different race. Some realtors refuse to show rental properties to all qualified renters based on racial preferences. Some unfortunate homeowners or renters find their residences defaced by swastikas or burning crosses.

You and your family are planning to move to a new town, and are considering settling in an area that is ethnically or religiously different from your own. You need to do some research. What problems might you encounter from realtors or neighbors? What legal recourse do you have right now? How might you argue for a more effective policy to protect the rights of all residents?

Task

You will produce a three to five page paper detailing the results of your research and arguing for a better public policy to deal with discrimination in housing or resulting hate crimes. In putting the paper together you will use the TIPS website and the PPA process. Your research should include both internet and written sources, which must be properly documented, and at least one visual image. As always, your final product should be well argued and organized, and conform to standard written English.

You will then present your findings to the class in a clear presentation of no more than 5 minutes. Plan to highlight one interesting part of your research.

Process

You will follow the six steps in the PUBLIC POLICY ANALYST process, using the worksheets and resources provided below. You will complete the PPA worksheets and use them as resource material to complete your two tasks.

You will use the internet sites listed in the RESOURCE section. You should also use printed material such as magazines, texts and journals.

Define the problem:

Is there really racial discrimination in housing? Can you honestly live where you want to live, and feel comfortable living there? (You may want to look into Lorraine Hansberry ‘s life a little. See the Biography link.)

http://www.maxwell.syr.edu/plegal/TIPS/select.html

Complete Worksheet #1 http://www.maxwell.syr.edu/plegal/TIPS/select.html

Gather the evidence:

Has there been housing discrimination in your own area? What evidence can you find from the New York City area or its suburbs?

Use Worksheet # 2

http://www.maxwell.syr.edu/plegal/TIPS/gather.html

Identify the causes:

Why does discrimination in housing exist? Is it related to other forms of discrimination?

http://www.maxwell.syr.edu/plegal/TIPS/identify.html

Use Worksheet #3

http://www.maxwell.syr.edu/plegal/TIPS/worksheet3.html

Evaluate the existing public policy:

What is our current policy regarding fair housing? How effective is it?

Use Worksheet #4

http://www.maxwell.syr.edu/plegal/TIPS/existing.html

Develop your own policy:

What can we do to make housing more fair? Do we need different laws or better procedures?

Use Worksheet #5

http://www.maxwell.syr.edu/plegal/TIPS/solutions.html

Choose the best policy:

From the solutions you have considered, which do you think would work best?

Use Worksheet #6

http://www.maxwell.syr.edu/plegal/TIPS/bestsol.htl

Now that you have an understanding of how to analyze a public policy, (define the problem, gather the evidence for the problem, identify the causes and develop solutions) you should have adequate information to write your report and construct an intelligent and interesting oral presentation.

Resources

Search Engines:

https://www.google.com

http://www.yahoo.com

http://www.altavista.com

Data bases and Websites:

http://www.biography.com

New York Newspapers

http://www.cbsnewyork.com/shamestories/local_story_218123933.html

http://www.naacp.org

http://www.huduser.org/periodicals/rrr/rrr6_99art5.html

http://www.diversityweb.org/Digest/W98/research.html

Evaluation

Your paper will be evaluated according to the following rubric:

Rubric for Written Report

Quality	4	3	2	1
Meaning/ Controlling Idea	Strong controlling idea Policy choice clearly articulated	Controlling idea Policy choice articulated	Controlling idea Policy choice suggested or implied	No controlling idea Policy choice unclear
Development/ Explanation of ideas Specific evidence	Clear and full development of ideas Need for policy fully supported by research	Most ideas developed fully Need for policy supported by research	Brief development of ideas Some support from research	Incomplete or undeveloped ideas Little or no support from research
Organization	Focus maintained on controlling idea Logical and coherent structure	Focus maintained on controlling idea Some internal consistency	Basic structure related to controlling idea Some inconsistencies or irrelevancies	Little or no structure or organization
Conventions/ Language Documentation	Strong control of conventions of grammar/spelling Research properly documented	Good control of conventions Occasional errors do not hinder meaning Most research properly documented	Fairly good control of conventions Occasional errors that hinder meaning Research not fully documented	Lack of control Frequent errors that make understanding difficult No documentation of research

Point/Percent Scale: 16 pts.=90%; 14-15 pts.=85%; 12-13 pts.=80%; 10-11pts.=75%; 8-9 pts.=70%; 6-7 pts.=60%; 4-5 pts.=50%

Standards:

Your project fulfills the following New York State Standards:

ELA Standards

E1a Read and comprehend informational materials

E2a Produce a report of information

E3c Prepare and deliver an individual presentation

E4a Demonstrate an understanding of the rules of the English language in written and oral work

Social Studies Standards

1: History of the United States

5: Civics, Citizenship and Government

Conclusion:

By completing these steps, you have put together a report that helps us understand the problems of discrimination in housing as it exists today, and as it was when Lorraine Hansberry wrote A Raisin in the Sun. You have also experienced the work done by the public policy analyst and you know should understand their importance in a democratic society.

So what do you think? Is it better? Is it worse? Has anything changed at all? You should always think; “how can I make things better?”