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The real life story that parallels much of the one in the book is as unsettling. "My Father and Atticus Finch" covers the arrest and trial of Charles White and the Troy and Enterprise areas, along with the ruling from the Alabama supreme court. Racial injustice was institutionalized within the justice system, and while day to day life in some areas may have had some balance, the long arm of the law was brutal to blacks. Juries were exclusively white males. Lawyers could strike any juror in the pool without having to give cause.
A few months ago I was listening to the recorded first hand account of a black maid who worked in that era. There were some things that struck me, as an outsider to the culture. The praise for her employer was effusive, and in no part of the recording was a single word that could be construed to be critical of a white person in a superior manner. When her employer had underpaid, she quietly left with notice to get other employment until that person actively sought her out and offered better pay and conditions to return. Later, when a relative of that person was a lush intent on marrying the widower of the house, after her employer died, the terms used to describe her had that "bless her heart" quality of southern manners that cover up disdain.
By living within the system, this maid got a retirement of sorts, in the form of monthly checks that kept her from being completely destitute. Had she not been effusive and withholding of criticism, she would have been cast to the winds. It is easy to see how white southerners treated with such deference and respect would think that everything was fine, glory in their magnanimous charity, and turn a blind eye to those who stepped out of line and were sucked into chain gangs or worse.
The history is all over the south. An old bank building in Huntsville was recently pointed out to me, along with a small cellar door on the back of it. "That is where the slaves were kept when the bank repossessed property. The slaves were valuable assets that the bank held as collateral."
Lest northerners get too cocky, slavery happened in the north as well and abolition was a radical idea. The book and movie were needed to drive home some basic points.
I should.... did you read the part where I said that I grew up there? I've heard a lifetime of stories and met many of the characters that were depicted in the book.
My grandparents were teenagers in the 30's and had a very vivid recollection of the events that took place in the town. The issues that people depict just weren't there. Monroeville is and always has been a poor community. Everyone worked together to survive. Racism just wasn't a huge problem there because no one could afford to have anything divide them. It took the entire community to get by.
Have you asked the black and brown people whether there is racism within the community? They may have a different perspective.
Have you asked the black and brown people whether there is racism within the community? They may have a different perspective.
Considering we all grew up together I'd say there isn't much of an issue. As I said before, we all worked together. Not one person working for another. I know it seems hard to believe because we are indoctrinated that racism happens everywhere in the south, but that just isn't always true.
Considering we all grew up together I'd say there isn't much of an issue. As I said before, we all worked together. Not one person working for another. I know it seems hard to believe because we are indoctrinated that racism happens everywhere in the south, but that just isn't always true.
No. It's not about indoctrination. It's about true life experiences. It may be hard for you to believe but a person of a different race, gender, or nationality can work right beside you and have a completely different life experience. You won't know it is happening unless you ask THEM. Everyone's life isn't the same.
I'm an American woman and I could live and work next to a Latino man. Should I assume our lives and experiences are similar solely based on proximity? Hint hint, read about Arizona.
No. It's not about indoctrination. It's about true life experiences. It may be hard for you to believe but a person of a different race, gender, or nationality can work right beside you and have a completely different life experience. You won't know it is happening unless you ask THEM. Everyone's life isn't the same.
I'm an American woman and I could live and work next to a Latino man. Should I assume our lives and experiences are similar solely based on proximity? Hint hint, read about Arizona.
I'm not debating different life experiences. That actually plays a part in what I am trying to tell you. Life in general there is different than in a lot of other areas of the south. I get that my life experience is different than by childhood best friend's (who was black, btw) even though we grew up in the same town in walking distance from each other. But it's very unlikely that they held some closet grudge against the same people who farmed right alongside them day in and day out. If you're assuming that their life experience was worse I would ask why the shift in population to an 80% black population?
It really seems like people want there to be racism there just so it fits a narrative that has been painted on southern towns... but again I urge you to visit the town. It just isn't there. It's one of the few things that I really like about the town.
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