The book “To Kill a Mockingbird” written by Harper Lee and the article “Scottsboro Boys Trial” both contain controversial court cases. For “To Kill a Mockingbird” a black male named Tom Robinson was accused of raping a white woman named Mayella Ewell. In the “Scottsboro Boys Trial” nine young black men and teenagers are accused of raping two white females named Victoria Price and Ruby Bates. Both cases transpired in the 1930s in Alabama. This is bad for the accused as racism was at an all-time in the 1930s especially in the deep south. This was around the time when the Jim Crow Laws were still intact and black people were not still considered people and they would still lynch black people. If a black man was accused of any crime involving a white person the jury would take the white man's word over the black man’s word. These exact things
This essay will be about two injustices the Scottsboro trial and Tom Robinson’s trial. A few similarities are that they were treated unfairly and they were all accused of a repulsive crime, raping a white woman. In the Scottsboro trial though, two women were supposedly raped. Both trials happened in the same time period, while also noting that the women in both trials came from poor backgrounds. Atticus gave his all to his case while the nine young men’s lawyer also tried his best. Overall these innocent men deserved more than what they recieved, an unfair treatment in and out of the courtroom.
Racial Discrimination was very prevalent during the 1930’s. The line between caucasians and african americans was relevant in the way the african american community was treated in the south. The african american community had very little to no rights, which was strongly represented in the Powell V. Alabama court cases.
Tim Johnson was a recognizable dog in Maycomb County, Alabama. Tim Johnson was regarded as “The pet of Maycomb county”(105). This title is very interesting. This means Tim Johnson is the mascot for the people of Maycomb. Tim Johnson’s owner was Mr. Harry Johnson. Mr. Harry Johnson traveled in a mobile bus and lived on the southern part of town. Tim Johnson is introduced in chapter ten. This is the first time in the book Tim Johnson is mentioned. Tim Johnson is suspected to have rabies by the children at first glance. After running for help, it is agreed the dog is not in a healthy state. The dog having rabies causes the neighborhood to stand still. Atticus Finch is given the job to put the dog down. He successfully stops the dog. Even though Tim dies, this is not the last time the scene is mentioned. This scene is mentioned during important moments in the book. Tim Johnson was not just a lovely dog that was unexpectedly infected by rabies. He was not just introduced for entertainment. Tim Johnson was introduced to for a far greater reason. This scene is a revelation to the reader. This scene reveals how Atticus Finch is always called upon to the dirty work for the county. Atticus does not run, but rather stand up and complete the task that is always given to him. It was not as simple as just shooting a mad
Plessy vs Ferguson is a similar topic of the book To Kill A Mockingbird. In both cases there was a bunch of segregation. Both people were found guilty because everyone on the jury was racist.
As shocking as it may seem to hear, witch hunts still exist in modern times. One of the most prevalent examples of a modern day witch hunt was the case of the Scottsboro boys in the 1930s. The Scottsboro case revolved around nine innocent African-American teenagers charged with the gang rape of two white women, Victoria Price and Ruby Bates, on a train in 1931. It dealt with issues of racism, prejudiced juries, and rushed trials, causing it to be cited
“You rarely win but sometime you do.” Harper Lee’s “To Kill a Mockingbird” demonstrates what perseverance is and influence it can change against other people’s attitudes. Within the novel, the protagonist views may cruel realities but simultaneously acknowledges the values of qualities within people. The courage and mettle of fighting whatever comes ahead even if it results in life or death. With the protagonist’s audacity to defend the innocent only through words and persistence. “To Kill a Mockingbird” also highlights the truth towards the whole society can alter the definition of justice. Here, Atticus defends a black man for his words for the right to have a voice within society and not to be misjudged due to racism. Hence, Harper Lee uses the novel to convey the
In Harper Lee’s To Kill A Mockingbird, undoubtedly there is more than one type of discrimination displayed. Before we get into that, what exactly is discrimination? Well, to discriminate means to treat someone differently based on what they believe, their age, gender, who they love, even their appearance. The forms that I will be talking about are Sexism, (Prejudice actions based on gender) Racism, (Prejudice actions based on race) classism, (Prejudice actions on those of a different social class) and discrimination on those with a disability.
Racism played a part in the Scottsboro trials in many ways. Racism is an act of discrimination against ones race. Racism is motivated in many ways. People use it to boost their self-esteem to make them feel better about themselves. Structure is another part; whites want to have what they are familiar with and do not want change among society. Dominance is the biggest factor of racism. Humans are born to compete and be in complete control over situations. Racism is evident in the Scottsboro trial from the second the got of the train till the last boy was pardoned 45 years later. In 1932 when a group of white boys and black boys got into a scuffle on a train leading to the train being stopped. Two girls got off and yelled rape, instantly the
"Racism is a refuge for the ignorant. It seeks to divide and to destroy. It is the enemy of freedom, and deserves to be met head-on and stamped on." (Pierre Berton) The Scottsboro Trials impacted America in a way that cannot be explained by words. When nine negro boys got off the train in Paintrock, Alabama they had know idea that their lives where about to take an unsuspected turn into disaster. As for Ruby Bates, and Victoria Price they where about to become the headlines across America. The South was also impacted in a way that changed others perspective. The Scottsboro Trials are about to change the way most Americans saw things in 1931, and will see things in the later future.
Born in 1941 in Chicago, Illinois, Emmett Louis Till was raised by his single mother who was an extraordinary woman. She defied social constraints and discrimination she faced as an African American. At the age of six, Till was diagnosed with polio which left him with a permanent stutter, but that never stopped his positive attitude. Nicknamed Bobo, was well liked and those who knew him described him as responsible and funny. He also liked to joke and play around with his friends. Till was also a caring boy who was very strong and muscular for an eleven year old. In one instance he threatened his stepfather with a knife if he hurt his mother.
If you’re a fan of baseball, in America or anywhere else in the world, you’ve heard the name Jackie Robinson. Jackie Robinson became a hero by overcoming racial barriers in American Baseball, therefore leading to the decline of the negro leagues, thus impacting our world today.
One of the many factors that influenced Harper Lee’s To Kill a Mockingbird is the Jim Crow laws. The laws were harsh constraints for African Americans, placed in the southern United States during the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries, which promoted the separation of races publicly. These laws were passed to
The first influence on Harper Lee’s To Kill A Mockingbird is the Jim Crow laws. The Jim Crow laws were an extremely racist way to keep power away from Blacks and give all control to Whites (Pilgrim). A few examples of Jim Crow laws included the fact Blacks could not attend the same school as Whites. Another example is Blacks were to refer to all Whites as Mr. or Mrs. White people thought they needed these laws because
The Scottsboro trials were trials in which two white women wrongly accused nine black men of rape (Anderson). Racism is very prevalent in the Scottsboro trials, as racism can be defined in this case as Whites pushing Blacks down to gain higher status (Schafer). It was found during the trial that many of the men were not in the same boxcar as the women and there was no doctor’s evidence of rape (Anderson). Anderson also states that the black men were given drunk, and clearly incompetent lawyers for this case. Even after one woman admitted that the rape never happened, the jury would not give in and the case continued (Anderson). In To Kill a Mockingbird, there was many similarities to the Scottsboro trials. In the book, Mayella Ewell accused the wrong person of raping her, as the evidence was pretty clear that Tom Robinson did not rape her. There was also an all-white jury, and the Black men’s attorneys were court appointed in both