30 Play Notes Takes place in the 1950's on the south side of Chicago African American Family All family members live in 1 bedroom apartment with a shared bathroom Pre-civil rights movement: segregation Family dreams of freedom : something better Epigraph - Langston Hughes- an epigraph is a quotation ( or poem, in this case) at the beginning of a story that sets the tone and theme Deferred - put off until a later date: postponed Play History Written by Lorraine Hansberry