The Wallaces kill a black man and they are not punished. The blacks in the community want justice so they are refusing to shop at their store. Mr. Jamison says to Papa:
“’But even more important than all that, you're pointing a finger right at the Wallaces with this boycott business. You're not only accusing them of murder, which in this case would be only a minor consideration because the man killed was black, but you're saying they should be punished for it. That they should be punished just as if they had killed a white man, and punishment for a white man for a wrong done to a black man would denote equality. Now that is what Harlan Granger absolutely will not permit”’ (164).
The worth of a black man’s life during this time period is so
“’But even more important than all that, you're pointing a finger right at the Wallaces with this boycott business. You're not only accusing them of murder, which in this case would be only a minor consideration because the man killed was black, but you're saying they should be punished for it. That they should be punished just as if they had killed a white man, and punishment for a white man for a wrong done to a black man would denote equality. Now that is what Harlan Granger absolutely will not permit”’ (164).
The worth of a black man’s life during this time period is so