Discrimination was seen everywhere throughout history, even after laws made it that everyone was equal. In the early 1900s, it was common for African Americans to be treated unfairly. Many were falsely accused of rape, found guilty during the trials and were hanged. African Americans were often seen as easy targets, and one case was the Scottsboro Trials. Nine African American teenage boys were on a train to Chattanooga, and they got into trouble with some white boys, who then involved the police. Two women, Victoria Price and Ruby Bates, were also riding the train in disguise and did not want to get in trouble, so they made up a lie that the nine boys raped them. This trial lasted a while and the rest of the boys’ teen years were spent in
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He was found guilty by the jury and killed. In both of these events, the men were falsely accused. It makes readers question why it was common and easy for African American men to be accused of rape during this time period. Throughout the Scottsboro Trials and To Kill a Mockingbird, by Harper Lee, it can be seen that African Americans were treated unfairly in many ways due to social standings, segregation and unfair practices (Scottsboro Timeline).
Social standing played a great role when it came to how people treated African Americans. At the top of the social classes were the wealthy whites. The next level below was comprised of the town and country whites. These were the farmers and people who worked throughout the town. Then, there were the white trash. These people were poor and lived excluded from the other white families. Last came the African Americans. They were forced to live far from …show more content…
For example, in the Scottsboro Trials, one boy said, “One of the white boys, he stepped on my hand and liked to have knocked me off the train. . . I didn’t say anything then, but the same guy, he brushed by me again and liked to have pushed me off the car” (Boyd). These white and black boys were all in the same situation since they were traveling to find a job for their financial needs. The white boys, however thought it would be okay for them to mess around with the African Americans because it was seen in society that whites are better. Segregation also led to unwritten rules. Right before the trial began in the book, the whites went in first into the courthouse and were able to sit wherever they wanted. African Americans had to wait for all of them to go in before they were allowed to. The African Americans were to sit on the balcony during the trial as the others sat down below, which was near all the action. Conclusively, segregation created through the Jim Crow laws, made it seem to the community that whites were better than
He was found guilty by the jury and killed. In both of these events, the men were falsely accused. It makes readers question why it was common and easy for African American men to be accused of rape during this time period. Throughout the Scottsboro Trials and To Kill a Mockingbird, by Harper Lee, it can be seen that African Americans were treated unfairly in many ways due to social standings, segregation and unfair practices (Scottsboro Timeline).
Social standing played a great role when it came to how people treated African Americans. At the top of the social classes were the wealthy whites. The next level below was comprised of the town and country whites. These were the farmers and people who worked throughout the town. Then, there were the white trash. These people were poor and lived excluded from the other white families. Last came the African Americans. They were forced to live far from …show more content…
For example, in the Scottsboro Trials, one boy said, “One of the white boys, he stepped on my hand and liked to have knocked me off the train. . . I didn’t say anything then, but the same guy, he brushed by me again and liked to have pushed me off the car” (Boyd). These white and black boys were all in the same situation since they were traveling to find a job for their financial needs. The white boys, however thought it would be okay for them to mess around with the African Americans because it was seen in society that whites are better. Segregation also led to unwritten rules. Right before the trial began in the book, the whites went in first into the courthouse and were able to sit wherever they wanted. African Americans had to wait for all of them to go in before they were allowed to. The African Americans were to sit on the balcony during the trial as the others sat down below, which was near all the action. Conclusively, segregation created through the Jim Crow laws, made it seem to the community that whites were better than