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History of racism in the us
History of racism
Brief history of racism in the united states
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In a desperate attempt to save his client, Tom Robinson, from death, Atticus Finch boldly declares, “To begin with, this case should never have come to trial. This case is as simple as black and white” (Lee 271). The gross amounts of lurid racial inequality in the early 20th century South is unfathomable to the everyday modern person. African-Americans received absolutely no equality anywhere, especially not in American court rooms. After reading accounts of the trials of nine young men accused of raping two white women, novelist Harper Lee took up her pen and wrote To Kill a Mockingbird, a blistering exposition of tragic inequalities suffered by African Americans told from the point of view of a young girl. Though there are a few trivial differences between the events of the Scottsboro trials and the trial of Tom Robinson portrayed in To Kill a Mockingbird, such as the accusers’ attitudes towards attention, the two cases share a superabundance of similarities. Among these are the preservation of idealist views regarding southern womanhood and excessive brutality utilized by police. The paradigm of southern womanhood was a matter of great importance to the people of the early 20th century South. So important was the institution of southern womanhood to the culture at the time when they were willing to lie, and even kill to protect it. Such is the case in To Kill a Mockingbird¸ when Mayella Ewell lies about Tom Robinson raping her to ensure that she is not looked down upon, as anyone known to be consorting with a black man would have been. Atticus illustrates his disgust with this situation when he says he is “in favor of Southern womanhood as much as anybody, but not for preserving polite fiction at the expense of human life” ... ... middle of paper ... ...tional stage with the Scottsboro trials, which became the inspiration for Harper Lee’s burning expeditionary work of fiction, To Kill a Mockingbird, in which she employs a tone critical of racism. The two cases, fictional and real, shared many stunning similarities, such as the preservation of southern womanhood and police brutality, as well as minor differences such as the attitudes of the accusers. The great tragedy of both cases is best exemplified by Atticus Finch’s declaration that “this case should never have come to trial. This case is as simple as black and white” (Lee 271). Works Cited Lee, Harper. To Kill a Mockingbird. New York : Grand Central Publishing, 1960. Print. Ransdell, Hollace. “The First Sottsboro Trials.” UMKC School of Law. n.d. Web. 7 February 2012. “Scottsboro Trials.” Encyclopedia of Alabama. 2 December 2011. Web. 7 February 2012.
The Scottsboro Trials, Brown v. Mississippi, and trial of Tom Robinson in Harper Lee’s To Kill a Mockingbird. The purpose of this essay is to compare three very similar cases, the Scottsboro Trials, Brown v. Mississippi, and the fictional trial of Tom Robinson in Harper Lee’s To Kill a Mockingbird; and to prove why the defendant in the third trial never had a chance. Each took place in the rural South in the 1920’s and 30’s and involved the unfair conviction of young black males by all-white juries pressured by the threat of mob violence.
On March 25 1931 a group of nine boys were charged with raping two girls aboard a train traveling from Paint Rock Alabama across the state’s border. The trial of these boys had become collectively known as the Scottsboro case. Several years later Harper Lee wrote her famous novel To Kill a Mockingbird. In this story a young male Tom Robinson is charged with raping a white female. It is by understanding the parallel between Tom Robinson’s case in To Kill a Mockingbird and the Scottsboro case that can be understood that a fair trial was unlikely and that because of Tom Robinson’s race he was presumed guilty before his trial.
“I think there’s just one kind of folks. Folks” (Lee 304). Harper Lee is the renowned author of To Kill a Mockingbird which was inspired by the real events of the Scottsboro Trials. Throughout her novel, Lee indirectly references the case by creating characters, events, and symbols that resemble and contrast the case. These elements allow the novel to emerge with a more realistic and historic plot. In particular, the similarities and differences between Judge Horton and Judge Taylor, Victoria and Mayella, and the atmosphere of the courtroom are most prevalent. By examining these components one will be able to respect the historical features present in Harper Lee’s fictional literary phenomenon, To Kill a Mockingbird.
Throughout history, racism has played a major role in social relations. In Harper Lee's novel, To Kill A Mockingbird, this theme is presented to the reader and displays the shallowness of white people in the south during the depression. The assumption that Blacks were inferior is proved during the trial of Tom Robinson. Such characteristics served to justify the verdict of the trial. In this trial, Tom Robinson is accused of raping Mayella Ewell and is found guilty.
To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee seems like a complete replica of the lives of people living in a small Southern U.S. town. The themes expressed in this novel are as relevant today as when this novel was written, and also the most significant literary devices used by Lee. The novel brings forward many important themes, such as the importance of education, recognition of inner courage, and the misfortunes of prejudice. This novel was written in the 1930s. This was the period of the “Great Depression” when it was very common to see people without jobs, homes and food. In those days, the rivalry between the whites and the blacks deepened even more due to the competition for the few available jobs. A very famous court case at that time was the Scottsboro trials. These trials were based on the accusation against nine black men for raping two white women. These trials began on March 25, 1931. The Scottsboro trials were very similar to Tom Robinson’s trial. The similarities include the time factor and also the fact that in both cases, white women accused black men.
Harper Lee grew up in small-town Monroeville, Alabama, and directly drew inspiration for her novel from her surroundings. Lee’s family was especially invested in the study of the law, as seen through her commentary on cases concerning the race relations during the time period she wrote her novel, the late 1950s. Landmark cases such as Emmett Till’s murder and Brown v Board were addressed through the treatment and trial of Tom Robinson. In the case of Emmett Till, a young black boy whistled at a white woman, and in turn gets abducted, tortured, and murdered. The perpetrators are tried in court with an all-white jury and were acquitted. These facets are emphasized to critique the reality of black men, acting in a reasonable and respectable way, were never
‘“ It ain’t right, Atticus ”’(284)Jem said. This is what many of the characters in the book To Kill a Mockingbird By Harper Lee felt after the trial's verdict of Tom Robinson, an innocent African American man who was convicted of a crime he did not commit. This story takes place in 1930’s in a tiny town called Maycomb and is narrated by a small, but mighty, little girl named Scout Finch. In To Kill a Mockingbird, injustice takes place in many ways, the biggest one being racism. Before, during, and after the trial, the Finch family is strongly affected by the Maycomb’s racism towards African Americans and the injustice it causes.
It is not uncommon in today’s society to see injustice take place not only within foreign countries but also within the United States. Being known as the ‘Land of the Free’ is far from the truth as seen by the amount of brutalities that have taken place within the past few years along with the countless racial injustices that have occurred. Injustice is a major theme that takes place within To Kill A Mockingbird as seen through the character Tom Robinson. Tom Robinson is put through injustice as seen by the themes of fear, innocence, and empathy throughout Tom Robinson’s trial.
In the book To Kill A Mockingbird, Harper Lee unmasks the harsh reality of racism that still lives on today. The reader sees a town filled with racial bigotry and division and a courtroom with a simple case of black versus white. In the trial a negro man is accused of raping a young white woman. There is clear evidence that he is innocent, but that cannot be the verdict since he is black. The story tells the timeline of this court case and the upbringing of the children whose father is defending the accused rapist, Tom Robinson. The children are raised with strong morals and beliefs. Because they are very grounded, they understand this case is not just to prove Tom innocent, but also to potentially change the hearts
Racism presents itself in many ways in the town of Maycomb. Some are blatant and open, but others are more insidious. One obvious way that racism presents itself is in the result of Tom Robinson’s trial. Another apparent example is the bullying Jem and Scout had to endure as a result of Atticus’s appointment as Tom Robinson’s defense attorney. A less easily discernible case is the persecution of Mr. Dolphus Raymond, who chose to live his life in close relation with the colored community.
Have you ever experienced racism or segregation throughout your daily life? In Harper Lee’s, “To Kill a Mockingbird”, the town of Maycomb experiencing racism and segregation. African Americans are looked down upon and have a disadvantage in everyday life compared to the white man in the novel. After an African American man is accused of a crime he did not commit, he is convicted despite the evidence of his actions. Through the use of racism and segregation, Harper lee suggests that the racial bias that exists in our court system is inherently wrong.
Race is an issue that plays a major role in today’s society. The past few decades are a proof of this. However, the law and how we perceive the law is something that is ultimately affected by race. We can witness this through personal experience, the media, and past legal cases. What is it about racial issues and the law that make it such a hot topic?
The novel, To Kill a Mockingbird, by Harper Lee, tells the story of a nice, kind man named Atticus Finch who has to defend a black man wrongly prosecuted for this crime. The main characters are scout who you see the whole story through her eyes and Atticus who the whole conflict of the story is base around. The book takes place in Alabama in the 1930’s during the Great Depression. The story is really about the life of the Finch’s when they are put up with the conflict of Atticus having to a black man, which in the time period was not socially acceptable to anyone in the town. In the book Lee reveals the injustice of racism through the Tom Robinson case. This theme appears in the novel when Atticus is giving is closing statements, when Scout
In the case with Tom Robinson, Lee demonstrates “that southern justice for blacks was different from southern justice for whites” (May 4). Tom is convicted of raping Mayella Ewell, a white woman. Throughout the trial, there is evidence to support Tom’s innocence, but because he is black, he is convicted anyway. This is a historical allusion to the trials that occurred in and around Scottsboro, Alabama, where nine black men were accused of raping two white women. Retrials occurred and, even with lack of proper evidence, all nine were convicted because of their skin color.
Racism as an issue has been a matter of fact among the human societies since the end of the 19th century. Black people were predetermined throughout the history by the racist societies due to their skin color.(Rezazade). To Kill a Mockingbird, is set in the small town of Maycomb, Alabama, 1930’s. The story involves the court case of Tom Robinson, an innocent black man that has been accused of beating and raping Mayella Ewell. Racial injustice, innocence, and biases are all apparent in To Kill a Mockingbird.