In this play, Childress refers to a number of different African-American leaders in politics and culture. Pick one of these figures and learn more about her or him. Write a biographical sketch of this figure. What contribution did she or he make to African-American history and culture? What obstacles did he or she overcome in order to accomplish her/his goals? In what ways can you consider this person a role model for your own life? The figures mentioned in the play include: Martin Luther King, Jr.; Frederick Douglass; Harriet Tubman; Malcolm X; Muhammad Ali; Paul Laurence Dunbar; LeRoi Jones (also known as Amiri Baraka); and Margaret Walker.

Wine in the Wilderness takes place in Harlem during a race riot. There have been a number of race riots in the United States, such as: the riots in Memphis and New Orleans in...