March 11 Illinois History Minute

It’s March 11th, the birthday of actor Terence Howard, born in Chicago in 1959. His movie credits include “The Best Man”, “Crash” and “Hustle and Flow”. But he’s probably best known as record company patriarch Luscious Lyon, in the TV series “Empire”.

“A Raisin in the Sun” opened on Broadway on this day in 1959. Chicago native Lorraine Hansberry’s play tells the story of a Black Chicago family facing discrimination in their search for a house of their own. Sidney Poitier starred on stage and in the movie version as the struggling father.