Racism In To Kill A Mockingbird - 1570 Words

Throughout history, racism has enslaved and segregated many races in other countries, but in the United States, the African-Americans have especially been victims of racism and segregation based upon their color. In recent history, the struggle to achieve equality and eradicate racism in the United States has been an ongoing battle since the late 1800’s. In Harper Lee s classic novel To Kill a Mockingbird, Lee uses her own experience and draws from events during her childhood to bring to expose racism against African Americans in the south. The Jim Crow Laws, the Plessy versus Ferguson case, other cases that followed, and authors like Harper Lee, are all examples of the battles and efforts which took place in the last 120 years in the†¦show more content†¦Soon after, Plessy was put on trial in a New Orleans court. After the Civil War, the 13th, 14th, and 15th amendments were added to the U.S. Constitution, which promoted racial equality. Plessy’s lawyer, Albion Tourgee, used this to his advantage, claiming that segregation violated the 13th and 14th Amendments. Tourgee was not only an attorney, but also a writer, and had a history of being involved in many publications and activities for gaining equal status under the law for Black Americans. Tourgee’s ideas of equal status were not shared by the judge in the case, John Ferguson. Ferguson ruled against Plessy and found him guilty. However, Tourgee appealed Plessy’s case all the way to the U.S. Supreme Court. The U.S. Supreme court ruled 7-1 against Plessy. The only dissenting judge was Justice John Harlan. Justice agreed with Tourgee that all races should be treated equally under the law. Justice Harlan wrote in his dissent, â€Å"Our Constitution is color-blind, and neither knows nor tolerates classes among citizens.â₠¬  He also wrote, â€Å"The arbitrary separation of citizens, on the basis of race, while they are on public highway, is a badge of servitude wholly inconsistent with the civil freedom and the equality before the law established by the Constitution. It cannot be justified upon any legal grounds.† Sadly, the press of the day buried the story, but the aftermath and its impact on the future generations of Black Americans were feltShow MoreRelatedRacism In To Kill A Mockingbird1740 Words   |  7 Pages In the book  ¨To Kill A Mockingbird ¨ by Harper Lee, the differences of social class, ideals, and how racism is showed during the 1930s are mainly shown. This book was set in the city Maycomb, Alabama and specifically on a young girl named Scout and her family. Scout s father, Atticus, is a lawyer, but he ´s a little different from the rest. Atticus is the kind of lawyer white people hate but blacks appreciate simply because he knows what ´s right no matter the color of their skin or race. DuringRead MoreRacism In To Kill A Mockingbird1324 Words   |  6 Pagespassed. This act forbids the previous acts of segregation, and in some cases, racism. Unfortunately, eleven years after, the compromise of 1877 was passed; which then put an end to segregation being illegal. Since then, segregation has again been prohibited and stayed this way. Still, many acts of racism/segregation between blacks and whites have been happening; especially in the court of law. In America, segregation/ racism has been an important part of history for centuries; yet, there are court casesRead MoreRacism In To Kill A Mockingbird1301 Words   |  6 PagesThere are a lot of life lessons learned by all the characters in Harper Lee’s, To Kill a Mockingbird. This classic novel takes place during the Great Depression, in the 1930s, and is set in the southern state of Alabama when segregation and racism were at their worst. Lee tells the story of a young girl name Jean Louise â€Å"Scout† Finch, her brother Jeremy Atticus â€Å"Jem† Finch, her father Atticus Finch, her friend Charles Baker â€Å"Dill† Harris, Tom Robinson, and many other supporting characters thatRead MoreTheme Of Racism In To Kill A Mockingbird1340 Words   |  6 Pages1930’s. Racism is a major aspect in the novel To Kill a Mockingbird. The main character, Scout, has to deal with this problem everyday. Bob Ewell, Mr. Cunningham, and other characters are very racist, and don’t approve of Atticus defending a â€Å"Negroe†. This causes Scout to be bullied in school and even attacked by Mr. Ewell. Also, characters such as Tom Robinson are negatively affected by racism in Maycomb. Tom is killed just because of his skin color. In the novel, To Kill a Mockingbird, HarperRead MoreTo Kill A Mockingbird Racism Analysis1348 Words   |  6 PagesHarper Lee wrote, â€Å"To Kill a Mockingbird† during a racial period in her home state of Alabama. This was when the South was still segregated, forcing blacks to use separate facilities apart from those used by whites. The Civil Rights movement started to become more active when Rosa Parks refused to give up her seat on a bus in Montgomery, Alabama, in 1955. During this period, Martin Luther King, Jr., became the leader of the movement, and the issue began to gain serious national attention. This isRead MoreImpact Of Racism In To Kill A Mockingbird910 Words   |  4 PagesIn Harper Lee’s book â€Å"To Kill a Mockingbird† Jem , Scout , and Dill live in Maycomb , Alabama around the time of the 1930’s they all were struggling through racism and poor family’s trying to get by. Harper Lee’s first and only novel â€Å"To Kill A Mockingbird† was published during the civil right movements. In this book Jem, Scout, and Dill tend to have courage and loyalty through life and in their relationship toward one another . Jem and Scout are brother and sister, Dill is a friend of the familyRead MoreTo Kill A Mockingbird Racism Analysis751 Words   |  4 PagesRACISM, it is a hurtful word and humans are constantly racist and if not racist at some level, we are all biased, even if it is not noticeable or realized during everyday life. The question is though, is our society capable of overcoming racism? The book To Kill a Mockingbird illustrates the thoughts and actions of racism during the time of 1930 when this book was taking place. Harper Lee the author of this book really understood the problems of society when it was published July 11, 1960. HoweverRead MoreTheme Of Racism In To Kill A Mockingbird1450 Words   |  6 Pages Ingrained Racism â€Å"Remember it’s a sin to kill a mockingbird...Mockingbirds don’t do one thing but make music for us to enjoy† (Lee 119). The white community sinned and the black community suffered as an innocent mockingbird was killed. Although innocence is one recurring theme in Harper Lee’s novel, it seems as though it only mattered to her. Lee illustrates the widespread racial discrimination and oppression that developed in every social class of Maycomb, Alabama. Mulligan’s interpretation howeverRead MoreEssay On Racism In To Kill A Mockingbird970 Words   |  4 PagesRacism in the United States of America, especially the South, in the 1930s was exceptionally different from the racism that America is experiencing today. In the compelling novel â€Å"To Kill A Mockingbird,† by Harper Lee, hating or disliking a person that has a different skin color was an extremely common thing, and was accepted as normal; especially in the southern states. The major ity of white children were brought up to think that they were more superior than black children in their households, andRead MoreRacism In To Kill A Mockingbird Essay902 Words   |  4 Pagesyoung narrator of Lee Harper’s To Kill a Mockingbird, poses a fair question on the topic of racism in the southern town of Maycomb, Alabama. The narrative talks of a situation similar to historical events whose impact is still seen in the United States today. Aspects of real-life events involving cases based on race, such as all-white juries, clear evidence that is ignored, and no justice being served, influenced Harper Lee’s fictional novel of To Kill a Mockingbird. In Scottsboro, a small town in