Harsh treatments and unjust laws, these were known to be a “normal” part of the American society only about 50 years ago, and some even still continue today. The book, The Help, by Kathryn Stockett depicts from both African American and White Americans perspective towards racism and unjust laws during the 1960’s. Skeeter, a White American, is a writer who as a young women, recently out of college, strives to find an innovative topic for a book. She settled on the topic of African American maids because she had one growing up as a child. Through illegal interviews and loosing all her friends her eyes were opened as to the discrimination and hatred the African Americans, who had the same color skin as the maid who she loved and was raised
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The 13th amendment was passed in 1865, and it abolished slavery. Four years later, in 1869, the 14th amendment was passed which granted citizen rights to all people, U.S. born. The next year, the 15th amendment was passed in 1870, and it gave voting rights to all African American men. However, often times only the colored people were given “literacy test” which were almost impossible for anyone to pass, so it made the system unfair and restricted many from voting(). Although progress towards racial equality was being made during the late 1800’s, that hope became lost after the creation of the black codes, and then the creation of the Jim Crow laws. The Jim crow laws were a set of laws created to separate facilities between white and colored people, and it was proposed that the facilities had a “separate but equal” quality, however that did not hold to be true. The Jim Crow laws originated from a racist minstrel performer, Thomas Rice. Thomas imitated African Americans and a very racist and stereotypical way as if they were incompetent. The Jim Crow law were created because white people at the time thought they were superior, and much different than the African American’s, therefore they felt they needed …show more content…
The KKK, Ku Klux Klan, was known as the “invisible hate group of the South,” as they used radical approaches towards their belief of white supremacy. The KKK was known to lynch, beat, and threaten African Americans(). During the book Aibileen and Minny were scared for their lives as they kept hearing on the radio the various murders and beating that were current at the time. After the book was published they were scared that and angry white husband might kill them, even Skeeter, though she’s white, she was involved. Although the husbands may not belong to the KKK they still were willing to use the same violent behaviors just like the KKK. Many politicians were racist so they did not do anything to stop the KKK by the creation of new law, as well as the fact that many law enforcers were part of the KKK so that’s another reason they never got prosecuted(). White man’s burden is the belief that the whites are superior, and they feel it is necessary to “help” or “civilizes” others who differ from themselves(). Many of the white women believed they were helping the maids just by giving them a job, however they failed to see things from their perspective. Hilly was a leader of a League that helped the poor, malnourished children of Africa. This shows white man’s burden because Hilly
The 13th amendment was passed in 1865, and it abolished slavery. Four years later, in 1869, the 14th amendment was passed which granted citizen rights to all people, U.S. born. The next year, the 15th amendment was passed in 1870, and it gave voting rights to all African American men. However, often times only the colored people were given “literacy test” which were almost impossible for anyone to pass, so it made the system unfair and restricted many from voting(). Although progress towards racial equality was being made during the late 1800’s, that hope became lost after the creation of the black codes, and then the creation of the Jim Crow laws. The Jim crow laws were a set of laws created to separate facilities between white and colored people, and it was proposed that the facilities had a “separate but equal” quality, however that did not hold to be true. The Jim Crow laws originated from a racist minstrel performer, Thomas Rice. Thomas imitated African Americans and a very racist and stereotypical way as if they were incompetent. The Jim Crow law were created because white people at the time thought they were superior, and much different than the African American’s, therefore they felt they needed …show more content…
The KKK, Ku Klux Klan, was known as the “invisible hate group of the South,” as they used radical approaches towards their belief of white supremacy. The KKK was known to lynch, beat, and threaten African Americans(). During the book Aibileen and Minny were scared for their lives as they kept hearing on the radio the various murders and beating that were current at the time. After the book was published they were scared that and angry white husband might kill them, even Skeeter, though she’s white, she was involved. Although the husbands may not belong to the KKK they still were willing to use the same violent behaviors just like the KKK. Many politicians were racist so they did not do anything to stop the KKK by the creation of new law, as well as the fact that many law enforcers were part of the KKK so that’s another reason they never got prosecuted(). White man’s burden is the belief that the whites are superior, and they feel it is necessary to “help” or “civilizes” others who differ from themselves(). Many of the white women believed they were helping the maids just by giving them a job, however they failed to see things from their perspective. Hilly was a leader of a League that helped the poor, malnourished children of Africa. This shows white man’s burden because Hilly