Jim Crow Laws
Voting Laws
It was very difficult for black people to vote. They would have to do a lot just to be able to vote. In order to vote they needed to pass a test that was very hard, the tests were nearly impossible. The sheriff could always stop them from voting at any time. Taxes were always required, so it was the more wealthy people who had a higher chance of being able to vote.
Bus Laws
White people always got first choice, even on a bus! If there was an open seat that was the only time a Black person would sit down, and they would only usually be able to sit in the back. But is there was a black person sitting down, and there was a white person in need of a seat they would have to give their seat up. If they decided not to give their seat up they would get in huge trouble.
The Great Depression
Roll of Thunder, Hear Me Cry takes place during The Great Depression. It started when the stock market crashed in 1920. It did not help that during this a severe drought was occurring; because of the drout almost all farmers couldn't farm. This huge drought cause many large dust storms. This event became known was The Dust Bowl. Besides farmers, so many Americans during this time lost their jobs. They tried so hard to get their jobs back or find a new job but most of them were unsuccessful. The characters in Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry are majorly affected by The Great Depression. There are many different examples of when this family was struggling because of The Great Depression. One example is just how in general they usually have to deal with people judging them because they are black. Another example is when Cassie and Little Man get dirty used books their condition is to poor for white people, so they give them to the black children. One other example is how they are not alloud to take the bus to school, because they are black; so they have to walk everyday. This was a very hard time for everyone.
Abonishment of Slavery
The Abonishmentt of Slavery usually occurred at different times and in different countries. On the date January 1st, 1863 the President Abraham Lincoln announced the Emancipation Proclamation during the Cival war. The main reason he did this was to free all of the slaves; just as he stated in The Emancipation Proclamation "...in all cases when allowed, they labor faithfully for reasonable wages." Just after the Union armies won the Civil war, all African - Americans were free! Just because they were free they still had many challenges they had to deal with along the way. Just one example of this is them having to face racism. Just as in The Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry when Cassie bumped into Lillian Jean and then Mr. Barnett yelled “Whose little nigger is this!” (Taylor 194). During this time no one at all had respect for black people. Even to this day white people still have it a little bit easier. Even today black people are trying to reach equality.
"Neither slavery nor involuntary servitude, except as a punishment for crime whereof the party shall have been duly convicted, shall exist within the United States, or any place subject to their jurisdiction." -The Thirteenth Amendment to the Constitution of the United States of America
Lynching
Lynching is known as the progress of punishing someone for a crime, without letting them go on a fair trial. During the times of the Jim Crow laws lynching was very popular. Just like in the book Roll of Thunder, Hear my Cry, lynching was a very popular thing. Mr. Berry, a character in the book, was accused of sexually harassing a women. After he was accused he was just about burned to death. Also near the end of this book TJ, another character in the book, were accused for stealing and nearly killing members of the Barnett family; when it wasn't even his fault or his idea. Then the lawyer Mr. Jamison asked to take the boy, and not to hurt him yet. He wanted to "Let the law decide whether or not he's guilty" (Taylor 351) Lynching was a major problem during this time.
Credits:
Created with images by josemdelaa - "solo reader old" • WikiImages - "woman children florence thompson" • Steve Snodgrass - "Steve" • Thomas Shahan 3 - "White Collar, c. 1940 - Linocuts by Giacomo G. Patri" • paulsimpson1976 - "The Great Depression" • Gareth1953 All Right Now - "Family Photo - Woolwich 1934 - Dad with Puttees" • Thomas Shahan 3 - "White Collar, c. 1940 - Linocuts by Giacomo G. Patri" • Wystan - "Daniel Haas, in his Ann Arbor, Michigan, grocery store, 114 West Liberty Street -- 1930s? 1940s?" • onohoku - "Classic photo of a distress sale -- Great Depression $100 will buy this car" • mrbill78636 - "THOSE WERE THE DAYS ..." • Rob Thurman - "Abraham Lincoln Birthday Commemorative Luncheon"