Historical Background for To Kill a Mockingbird

Introduction to the Novel Background Information Even those with jobs were affected because nothing was being produced Average family income dropped to 50% by 1935 25% of population had no job GREAT DEPRESSION Stock Market Crash caused people to lose billions. Entire banks were wiped out and by 1933 over 60% of population was considered poor Hundreds of thousands lost homes, farms and possessions A period of extreme drought, poverty and hardships during the 1930s. The President at the time, Franklin Roosevelt, famously said, “the only thing to fear is fear itself” as his government created programs to create jobs, house the homeless and feed the starving.

Introduction to the Novel Background Information Although slavery was abolished in the 1890s racism and discrimination were alive and well during the time of the novel. The novel is based on many historical facts that help to drive the story, (and allow the readers to explore a sad time in American history) including: Racism and Social Classes Jim Crow Laws (1890s – 1960s) Scottsboro Trials (1931) Social Inequality (Forever)

“Jim Crow” Laws From the 1880s to the 1960s most states enforced segregation through the “Jim Crow” laws Through these laws legal punishments could be imposed on people for having contact with members of another race. A Black male could not offer his hand (to shake hands) with a White male because it implied being socially equal. Obviously, a Black male could not offer his hand or any other part of his body to a White woman, because he risked being accused of rape. Blacks and Whites were not supposed to eat together. If they did eat together, Whites were to be served first, and some sort of partition was to be placed between them. Blacks were introduced to Whites, never Whites to Blacks. Whites did not use courtesy titles of respect when referring to Blacks, for example, Mr., Mrs., Miss., Sir, or Ma'am. Instead, Blacks were called by their first names or by “boy” or “girl” (regardless of age). Blacks had to use courtesy titles when referring to Whites, and were not allowed to call them by their first names. If a Black person rode in a car driven by a White person, the Black person sat in the back seat, or the back of a truck.

The Winds of Change Soon, average Black citizens across the country began speaking out against oppression and demanding equal rights. This was the beginning of America’s Civil Rights Movement.

Brown vs. Board of Education In 1954, after 2 years in court, the nation was shocked by a landmark decision to grant Linda Brown, a Black fifth-grader, admission into a white elementary school in Topeka, Kansas.

Rosa Parks (1913-) In 1955, after a long day of work, 42-year-old Rosa Parks refused to give up her seat to a white man on a Montgomery County bus This set off peaceful and violent protests throughout the South.

Dr. Martin Luther King (1929-1968) Black Hero-Leaders began to rally together Black Americans in order to fight oppression and for a country where all men were truly treated as equals.

Desegregation Blacks and Whites all over the country started putting pressure on governments to amend the segregation laws. Those individuals, both Black and White, who fought for Civil Rights were under constant attack from White Supremacists who were unwilling to accept Black Americans as equals Many freedom-fighters died for their efforts

Setting Maycomb, Alabama (fictional city) 1933-1935 Although slavery has long been abolished, the Southerners in Maycomb continue to believe in white supremacy.

Introduction to the Novel About the Author To Kill A Mockingbird is semi-autobiographical for a number of reasons: Lee grew up in Alabama Father was prominent lawyer Experienced Great Depression, Scottsboro Trials “Scout” based on her life; “Dill” based on life of childhood friend Truman Capote

Themes Racial Prejudice Social Snobbery Morality Tolerance Patience Equality The Need for Compassion The Need for Conscience

Language Sometimes the language of Scout will be that of her as a child; other times, she will be speaking in the voice of an adult Atticus uses formal speech Calpurnia uses “white language” in the Finch house and switches to “black jargon” when amidst blacks The Ewells use foul words and obscenities Jem, Scout, and Dill will use slang words, typical of their age Tom Robinson uses language typical of the southern black such as “suh” for “sir” and “chillun” for “children” Various derogatory terms for blacks will be used such as “nigger,” “darky,” “Negroes,” and “colored folk” – Lee uses such language to keep her novel naturally in sync with common language of the times