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Pacifica Radio Archives’ “From the Vault”
Each week the Pacifica Radio Archives chooses a program "From the Vault" of broadcasts in a half-hour program.
On this weeks From The Vault, We celebrate The Birthday of one of Americas most gifted playwrights, Lorraine Hansbury.
At the age of 29 she was the youngest playwright and first Black dramatist to win the New York Drama Circle critics Award for her play A Raisin In The Sun.
About a year later Lorraine Hansbury visited the Pacifica Radio WBAI studios with fellow writing legends Langston Hughes, James Baldwin and Alfred Kazin and Emile Capouya. The topic of the day. The Negro in American Culture.
But First we hear from actor Louis Gossett Jr. Former host Brian DeShazor and I drove out to his Malibu Beach home where we spoke to him about his experience with Lorraine Hansberry in early 2016.
It turns out Louis was a New York Knickerbacker basketball player making good money when he went for an audition to this upcoming play A Raisin in the Sun. He got the part and now he had to choose between Professional Basketball and Acting
Lets hear from Mr. Louis Gossett Jr. to hear his moment in history with Lorraine Hansberry in his own words.
That was actor Louis Gossett Jr. from his Malibu Beach home in 2016.
And now we go to the 1961 recording with Lorraine Hansberry, Langston Hughes, James Baldwin, Emile Capouye and Alfred Kazin.
