Inequality in The Help

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Recommended: The civil rights movement in the USA

In an era of the Jim Crow laws, life as an African-American woman was difficult. The Help (2011), a film written and directed by Tate Taylor, brings back some of this history. This film takes place in 1960s Jackson, Mississippi in the time of the civil rights movement, and when racial tension was at a rise. During this time, prejudice was at occurrence. For women who lived in Mississippi during the 1960s, employment opportunities was limited due to permissible segregation and economic inequalities. This film displays some experiences of African-American domestic workers of this period. Interaction with a black person from a white person on a level other than work was frowned upon. Many laws of inequality was forced upon African-Americans. In the time of Jim Crow, life was challenging for an African-American. Jim Crow laws were strongly implemented in Mississippi, one of many southern states to enforce these laws. These laws made it difficult for African-Americans to live and work. They were not fond of this way of life and wanted to mend it, but they endured ruthless consequences when they tried. For example, civil rights activist and NAACP worker Medgar Evers was murdered for trying to improve the conditions of black people in Mississippi. His assassination showed differences of how it was perceived in the black and white communities of Jackson, Mississippi. This incident served as a major historical event for the black community. For African-American maids, it was nothing to be talked about while in your white employer’s home. This event is important and marks the increase of racial tension in the streets of Mississippi. This event brought blacks uncontrollably bustling into the streets in sheer chaos and confus... ... middle of paper ... ...ally the actuality of sexual assault was discredited. This film turns the actual worries of violence and assault to African-American women in the segregated South into moments of amusing deliverance. Works Cited Conrad, Celia. "Racial Trends in Labor Market Access and Wages: Women." America Becoming: Racial Trends and Their Consequences. Volume II. Washington, D.C.: National Academies Press, 2001. 127. Print. "The Help (2011)." IMDb. N.p., n.d. Web. 1 Dec. 2013. "Jim Crow law (United States [1877-1954])." Encyclopedia Britannica. n.d. Print. "Open Statement - The Help." Welcome to the Association of Black Women Historians Website. N.p., n.d. Web. 1 Dec. 2013. Tucker, Susan. "Gillian Kushner." Telling Memories Among Southern Women: Domestic Workers and Their Employers in the Segregated South. Baton Rouge, LA: Louisiana State University Press, 2002. 44. Print.

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