Angelou also states, “If Joe lost we were back in slavery and beyond help. It would all be true, the accusations that we were lower types of human beings”. With this statement she describes the mistreatment of African Americans that was ongoing at that time; even though slavery no longer existed many white people still treated African Americans as inferiors. Louis needed to win in order to eliminate all the false accusations once and for all. In the last paragraph, once it is revealed that Louis won the fight, Angelou once again addresses the racial conflicts.
Although each of them had their own perspectives, their main objective was the same. Reparations in this society can be defined by stating that the U.S. government needs to make a formal apology to blacks for the damage caused by the transatlantic slave trade due to social and economic consequences in the United States. Advocates also feel the U.S. government owes the black people. Blacks remain behind due to many things, the most important being slavery. The Constitution, until recently, did not apply to blacks; blacks feel they deserve payments from 310 years of slavery, destruction to their minds and culture.
All over the south racism was still going on. But this time it was going on illegally. There were riots in the north in places like Chicago, Detroit and New York. The white race had been angered at the ‘preferential treatment afforded to African Americans.’ Although there were riots against the well being for black people there were other groups who protested for black people. The Double V campaigned for hypocrisy of the discrimination in America and the segregated lines.
As the reader begins to see the unfairness of the actions against black people, mostly because of Atticus’ speech, the theme of discrimination is developed through the motive of ‘walking around in their shoes.’ The title, To Kill A Mockingbird is very symbolic and meaningful. The quote which corresponds with the title is also said by Atticus and is, ‘Shoot all the blue jays you want if you can’t hit ‘em, but it’s a sin to kill a mockingbird.’ There are two characters in the text which are metaphorical to the mockingbird. One is the obvious one, Tom Robinson, a black man accused of the rape of a white girl, whom Atticus defends, and the other is Boo Radley. Just like a mockingbird, Tom Robinson only did good and in the end was accused of a crime he didn’t commit. He helped Mayella Ewell every time she asked, for free, and for it he was accused of raping her.
It is quite obvious that Robinson was not guilty, but he is still convicted anyway. Many racist actions lead up to the trial, actually encompass the trial, and these same actions are seen after the trial. She is racist enough to think that because Atticus is defending an African American, someone that he thinks is not guilty; it will harm her deep southern roots. This skirmish
the black people in America suffered from the police interference in their lives and were even imprisoned even though they were not guilty. It is obvious that every human being has dreams. Martin Luther King had a dream too, which was seeing the world in peace and having equality rule the world. He dreamt about having brotherhood and seeing black and whites “sit down together at the tale of brotherhood”. To conclude, black people all over the world, wherever they live were for a long time victim of racism for their skin color.
Black Americans were publically beaten, frightened, and even killed (Magar, 2010). These practices did not stop until 1964 when the Civil Rights Act banned discrimination against race among many other things. Today stereotypes continue to create discrimination but not to the levels of the early 1900s. Everyone needs to remember that Black Americans have more than 400 years of stereotypes to overcome. African Americans have many conflicts and struggles to deal with.
Throughout the years racism has been a common problem and is happening all around us. In earlier times black people were used as slaves and did have little to no rights at all, but now discrimination between blacks and whites is illeagal and we are all supposed to have equal rights. Although the discrimination is illeagal it has happened in the judical system in the past that juries and other people have made their decision based on the defendants race. Like in the case of Tom Robinson from the book “To Kill a Mockingbird” and in the case of Stephen Lawrence the verdict seems to have been based mainly on their colors. So that leads me thinking if people of all races will ever be equal in the justice system and to the rest of the world.
This slavery is by far one of the more difficult subjects to look upon when discussing American history and its influences. Slavery shaped this nation, for bad and for good, and this country would not be the same without this dark stain that influenced so much. Yes it was a terrible thing that went on in this country for years, but good did come out of it. It may have taken time, even after slavery was abolished, but it started a movement that changed the world and the rights of all people, of all races, to come. Most people don’t realize that slavery didn’t start in the United States, it was actually started sometime in the 16th century, but the first Africans were sold in Jamestown around 1619.
So far, one of the major plots seems to be about his choice to defend a black man, Tom Robinson, in court. During this era, the residents of Maycomb county and the world in general were still extremely racist towards African Americans. They were considered slaves and not on the same level as normal people. The people who were poorer than the black people (for example: the Erwells) were even respected more. Because of this racism and prejudice, the decision of Atticus’ to defend this man (who would certainly be killed without a lawyer because he is black and the accuser is white) is widely discussed in the town.