Some people may argue that because A Raisin in the Sun was so topical in its own day, it must surely be dated now. But anyone who thinks that—even just a little—should reread Asagai's monologue about how he plans to struggle to improve his nation of Nigeria. There are few plays today that more poignantly capture the backward and forward struggle on the continent of Africa. And this is just one example of an issue the play raises that is still relevant today. There are many more to choose from.

So although it was written decades ago, this raisin hasn't dried up. Just ask Sean Combs or Denzel Washington, who revived the role of Walter Younger as recently as 2008 and 2014, respectively. (And yes, that is The Cosby Show's Phylicia Rashad playing Lena in the Combs photo.) And as Kenny Leon, director of the 2014 Broadway revival, notes in this video, despite the fact that the U.S. finally elected a black president, there are still issues of racial tension and discrimination to be dealt with, so the themes of A Raisin in the Sun will be just as important for students today as they were for students in the 1960s.