Segregation Exposed in To Kill A Mockingbird

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What is segregation? According to Encyclopedia Britannica, “Segregation is the practice of restricting people to certain circumscribed areas of residence of to separate institutions (schools, churches) and facilities (parks, restrooms) on the basis of race or alleged race.” Segregation was a horrible thing that was going on in the book To Kill a Mockingbird. In To Kill a Mockingbird it shows segregation, Jim Crow Laws, and the Great Depression.

“‘Jim Crow’ was an antebellum character in a minstrel show. A white man (Tom ‘Daddy’ Rice) - made up as a black man - incorporated a character called ‘Jim Crow’ into his show in 1832. Jim Crow sang a song to this music. Soon the term ‘Jim Crow’ became a euphemism for ‘Negro.’ Soon the term ‘Jim Crow Laws’ became a euphemism for legal segregation” (“Jim Crow Laws”).

The civil war finished, and slaves were free. Nobody knew how to deal with the free slaves; the people in the South did not like them (“Jim Crow Laws”). They needed to figure out a “way to live with them" (“Jim Crow Laws”). To do this they needed African Americans divide from white people. So laws were going up that they needed to be "separated" from whites (“Jim Crow Laws”). Jim Crow Laws were moving to "every southern state," and by 1914 every state did have some sort of Jim Crow Law (“Jim Crow Laws”) Blacks were soon "not allowed" to go where white people went and were not even allowed to ride in the same railroad cart (“Jim Crow Laws”). The laws were soon “upholding”; even the Supreme Court was “upholding” the laws (“Jim Crow Laws”). These laws were really important during this time to the whites. For example, in To Kill a Mockingbird everyone goes into the courthouse, but the blacks have to go upstairs and the whites...

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“Jim Crow Law.” Encyclopedia Britannica. N.p., 2010. Web. 30 Apr. 2010. .

“Jim Crow Laws.” NetTrekker. N.p., n.d. Web. 2 May 2010. .

“Segregation Ordinances: Birmingham, AL.” NetTtrekker. N.p., 18 June 2004. Web. 2 May 2010. .

“Segregation, Racial.” Encyclopedia Britannica. N.p., 2010. Web. 30 Apr. 2010. .

Simkin, John. “Jim Crow Laws.” NetTrekker. N.p., n.d. Web. 23 Apr. 2010. .

Texas State Library and Archives Commission. “Women and Children, circa 1920.” NetTrekker. N.p., 2 Nov. 2005. Web. 29 Apr. 2010. .

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