Story elements that relate to the book—Similarities AND Differences
In the book, the racial gap between the whites and blacks is very evident. Whites are treated with more respect, and in the book they always get "first choice" (or they get to choose whatever they want before the blacks choose). This relates to the article because in the article, they bring up one event at the University of Washington concerning the fraternity known as SAE where black people were referred to as "apes" and were made victims of rude gestures and "booing". Also in the article, they bring up another instance regarding the same fraternity but at a different college. At the University of Oklahoma there was a video that had white college students chanting racist remarks on a bus. These events relate to the book because in the book, the Logan family gets referred to as the "N" word many times, and it is obviously very hurtful to the family (and the other black people who were victims of the same rude remarks and many others). The rude names and gestures that occurred in the book are still happening today, as shown in the article. The differences between the book and the article are that in the current times, we have recording devices to catch everything on camera (so that it is made public a lot faster) and not everyone has these racist views (while in the book, most whites had the same racist mindset).
How has racism changed since the 1930’s?
Racism has changed a lot since the 1930's, but it is still very evident in today's world. In the 1930's, it wasn't obscene or abnormal for a white person to say something racist, to outwardly disrespect a black person, or to make a rude gesture. Today, these things still happen, but when they do they are shamed upon and made public. For the most part, white people and black people get along in society today, and it's not abnormal for a white person and a black person to be friends. Back in the 30's, it was weird and almost looked down upon for a white to be associated with someone black. In the current day, we have cameras available almost instantaneously (on our phone, laptops, etc.). This means that almost nothing goes without being seen, and usually when major racist things happen, the offender is shamed. In the 30's, if something happened somewhere that wasn't local, it took much longer for the word to get around, because it had to be spread by word of mouth. Finally, there is no segregation going on today. Back in the 1930's, during the time of the "separate but equal" ruling, segregation was very common. These things all show the ways that racism has changed from the 1930's to now.
Notes: The Great Depression and Plessy v. Ferguson The great depression (1930s)-tough for everyone
many people out of work
blacks suffered because he jobs that they would've normally had were now given to the white people who were out off work also
blacks - 50% unemployment
whites- 30% unemployment
blacks not accepted into jobs bc of their skin color
Great Depression made people be very conservative with there resources
such as food
PLESSY V FERGUSON
Plessy (black) attempted to sit in an all white railroad car
He was arrested for not moving to the black car
he violated 1890 Louisiana statue "separate but equal"
judge Ferguson was the judge
ruled that separate but equal was fair
separate facilities for colored and whites but the facilities should be of equal quality
usually didn't end up being very equal
"segregation is not racist"
Final Decision (in paragraph form, also on the home page)
This book is historically accurate when they are talking about the Great Depression. In the book, many things happen concerning money. One of them is that Mary Logan, the mother of the Logan family gets fired from her job as a teacher. You can tell that this hits the family hard because from that point on, they're very concerned with saving food such as flour. This shows effects of the Great Depression because money is obviously very tight for the Logan family and it is historically accurate because many families in the Great Depression had to save food. Racism fits into this because there aren't many other jobs that Mary can work after she gets fired and also that Papa can work after he gets injured. I believe that is because those other jobs may have been "reserved" for whites so that causes the family to struggle even more. There are few differences in the book concerning the Great Depression and racism, but I think one would be the fact that Uncle Hammer is able to afford a car, even during the tough times. This does not mean that situation was impossible at the time, but it was clearly shown in the book that the car was exceptionally rare for an African American to have such a nice car.
In the 1890's there was a court ruling that decided that seperate facilities for African Americans and whites was legal as long as the facilities were equal. This ruling was called "Plessy vs. Ferguson, seperate but equal". In the book, the black children went to Great Faith Elementary and Secondary School. The white children in the book such as Jeremy Simms, went to Jefferson Davis. Great Faith ended up getting books that were in bad condition that had been used for many years by white people. Jefferson Davis had buses that took the white children to and from school. These two schools were separate, but from what we can see they are far from equal. While this might not have been what the courts intended when they ruled that segregation was Constitutional (because the courts wanted the facilities to be equal), it was historically accurate. Many of the separate facilities ended up not being equal at all, and the schools in the book are just like that. The "separate but equal" ruling eventually came to affect many parts of life including restaurants and theaters, but these things are not relevant in the book because the book is before that time. These reasons are why I think that the book is historically accurate when they're talking about the Plessy v. Ferguson court ruling.
Real World Connection
Source: seattletimes.com
( http://www.seattletimes.com/seattle-news/education/uw-investigates-claims-of-racial-slurs-by-frat-members/ )
Summary (brief) of Current Article on Racism:
This article talks about the many incidents in which a fraternity (SAE) has been accused of racist gestures and remarks.
Story elements that relate to the book—Similarities AND Differences
In the book, the racial gap between the whites and blacks is very evident. Whites are treated with more respect, and in the book they always get "first choice" (or they get to choose whatever they want before the blacks choose). This relates to the article because in the article, they bring up one event at the University of Washington concerning the fraternity known as SAE where black people were referred to as "apes" and were made victims of rude gestures and "booing". Also in the article, they bring up another instance regarding the same fraternity but at a different college. At the University of Oklahoma there was a video that had white college students chanting racist remarks on a bus. These events relate to the book because in the book, the Logan family gets referred to as the "N" word many times, and it is obviously very hurtful to the family (and the other black people who were victims of the same rude remarks and many others). The rude names and gestures that occurred in the book are still happening today, as shown in the article. The differences between the book and the article are that in the current times, we have recording devices to catch everything on camera (so that it is made public a lot faster) and not everyone has these racist views (while in the book, most whites had the same racist mindset).
How has racism changed since the 1930’s?
Racism has changed a lot since the 1930's, but it is still very evident in today's world. In the 1930's, it wasn't obscene or abnormal for a white person to say something racist, to outwardly disrespect a black person, or to make a rude gesture. Today, these things still happen, but when they do they are shamed upon and made public. For the most part, white people and black people get along in society today, and it's not abnormal for a white person and a black person to be friends. Back in the 30's, it was weird and almost looked down upon for a white to be associated with someone black. In the current day, we have cameras available almost instantaneously (on our phone, laptops, etc.). This means that almost nothing goes without being seen, and usually when major racist things happen, the offender is shamed. In the 30's, if something happened somewhere that wasn't local, it took much longer for the word to get around, because it had to be spread by word of mouth. Finally, there is no segregation going on today. Back in the 1930's, during the time of the "separate but equal" ruling, segregation was very common. These things all show the ways that racism has changed from the 1930's to now.
Notes: The Great Depression and Plessy v. Ferguson
The great depression (1930s)-tough for everyone
many people out of work
blacks suffered because he jobs that they would've normally had were now given to the white people who were out off work also
blacks - 50% unemployment
whites- 30% unemployment
blacks not accepted into jobs bc of their skin color
Great Depression made people be very conservative with there resources
such as food
PLESSY V FERGUSON
Plessy (black) attempted to sit in an all white railroad car
He was arrested for not moving to the black car
he violated 1890 Louisiana statue "separate but equal"
judge Ferguson was the judge
ruled that separate but equal was fair
separate facilities for colored and whites but the facilities should be of equal quality
usually didn't end up being very equal
"segregation is not racist"
Final Decision (in paragraph form, also on the home page)
This book is historically accurate when they are talking about the Great Depression. In the book, many things happen concerning money. One of them is that Mary Logan, the mother of the Logan family gets fired from her job as a teacher. You can tell that this hits the family hard because from that point on, they're very concerned with saving food such as flour. This shows effects of the Great Depression because money is obviously very tight for the Logan family and it is historically accurate because many families in the Great Depression had to save food. Racism fits into this because there aren't many other jobs that Mary can work after she gets fired and also that Papa can work after he gets injured. I believe that is because those other jobs may have been "reserved" for whites so that causes the family to struggle even more. There are few differences in the book concerning the Great Depression and racism, but I think one would be the fact that Uncle Hammer is able to afford a car, even during the tough times. This does not mean that situation was impossible at the time, but it was clearly shown in the book that the car was exceptionally rare for an African American to have such a nice car.
In the 1890's there was a court ruling that decided that seperate facilities for African Americans and whites was legal as long as the facilities were equal. This ruling was called "Plessy vs. Ferguson, seperate but equal". In the book, the black children went to Great Faith Elementary and Secondary School. The white children in the book such as Jeremy Simms, went to Jefferson Davis. Great Faith ended up getting books that were in bad condition that had been used for many years by white people. Jefferson Davis had buses that took the white children to and from school. These two schools were separate, but from what we can see they are far from equal. While this might not have been what the courts intended when they ruled that segregation was Constitutional (because the courts wanted the facilities to be equal), it was historically accurate. Many of the separate facilities ended up not being equal at all, and the schools in the book are just like that. The "separate but equal" ruling eventually came to affect many parts of life including restaurants and theaters, but these things are not relevant in the book because the book is before that time. These reasons are why I think that the book is historically accurate when they're talking about the Plessy v. Ferguson court ruling.