The Help Racism

In the historical fiction novel “The Help,” a wise woman named Aibileen Clark once said, “Kindness don’t have no boundaries” (Stockett, 2009, p. 368). This novel takes place in the 1960s, and during this era African-American woman who were former house slaves were hired to do mostly the same things, but with being payed a small amount. Racism and prejudice were expressed throughout the entire U.S. during this time, and there were certain laws-called Jim Crow Laws-that were set in order to segregate, or keep the races separate from each other. There were some people who were too afraid to stand up for what was right, and others who worked to correct this error in society. In the novel “The Help,” Kathryn Stockett incorporates treatment of African …show more content…
government during the 1960s; these were called Jim Crow Laws, and they reinforced the idea of segregation and inequality. Several examples of one law-“Every employer of white or negro males shall provide for such white or negro males reasonably accessible and separate toilet facilities” (Examples of Jim Crow Laws, 2001)-were used in the book. One example relating to this situation was when a separate bathroom was installed in Aibileen employer, Elizabeth Leefolt’s, garage. Hilly Holbrook had an idea to start a “Home Help Sanitation Initiative” which had the purpose of advertising the idea of keeping the Help’s bathrooms separate in order to “prevent the spread of diseases that they carry” (Stockett, 2009, p. 184). Another example of a Jim Crow Law that came into place during the story was how Skeeter Phelan, an aspiring journalist, wanted to work with The Help in writing a book of interviews about their jobs, what they do, and everything else behind the scenes that other outside The Help either do not realize or are unaware of. “Any person...who shall be guilty of printing, publishing or circulating printed, typewritten or written matter urging or presenting for public acceptance or general information, arguments or suggestions in favor of social equality or of intermarriage between whites and negroes, shall be guilty of a misdemeanor and subject to fine” (Examples of Jim Crow Laws, 2001). The woman were terrified of what consequences would await them if or when someone found out what they had been doing. Especially for the African-American women, they were horrified of the thought that they would lose their jobs, be beaten, or thrown in jail. The Jim Crow Laws were created to keep a division between the races; they were claimed to keep all races “separate but equal,” but all they did was harm one population while treating the other like