Premium Essay

African American Discrimination In The 1930s

Submitted By
Words 685
Pages 3
Nelson Mandela once said, “We pledge ourselves to liberate all our people from the continuing bondage of poverty, deprivation, suffering, gender and other discrimination” (Mandela 69). The Merriam-Webster dictionary defines discrimination as “The practice of unfairly treating a person or group of people differently from other people or groups of people.” Every group of people in America was affected by social problems in the 1930s. Discrimination was a big problem among African-Americans, all women, and mentally disabled. To begin with, black people were discriminated against in the 1930s. Although the African-American population had already been living with discrimination before the Great Depression, black people seemed to suffer worse than …show more content…
If a woman could find a job, it tended to be low level and low paying jobs (Beach 1). Most women were part of families that had a man as the head of the family. The man was in charge and made the money for the family’s survival, and women were to care for the household. The women that were widowed, divorced, or deserted by their husbands, struggled with supporting their families: single women had to fend for themselves (Ware 1). Women were seen as the weaker sex, even in the book, Of Mice and Men. Curley’s wife was the only known female character. Even though her character had a major part in the novel, she didn’t have a name. She is called “Curley’s wife” throughout the book, which leads us to believe that she wasn’t important.. The male workers call her names like “tramp”, “jail bait”, and a “tart”. George called Curley’s wife a tramp when she came into the bunkhouse, “What a tramp” (Steinbeck 32). George also said, “I seen ‘em poison before, but I never seen no piece of jailbait worse than her” about Curley’s wife (Steinbeck 32). “I think Curley’s married... a tart” was said by Candy (Steinbeck …show more content…
Electroconvulsive therapy and lobotomies were introduced and performed on patients in the 1930s. Psychiatrists would claim that electroshock therapies worked by "shocking" the illness out of patients (Freeman 1). Lobotomies were surgical procedures performed on mentally ill patients. The operation consisted of cutting nerve pathways in the frontal lobes of the brain (Mical 1). This procedure was not something families wanted their loved ones to go through. Families took care of their mentally disabled relatives. In the book, Of Mice and Men, George promised Lennie’s Aunt Clara that he will care for Lennie, a man suffering from some kind of mental illness. George and Lennie traveled to find jobs. They worked together. George would stick up for Lennie and helped him when he would get in

Similar Documents

Premium Essay

Segregation In John Steinbeck's Of Mice And Men

...Of Mice & Men exemplifies how being different caused segregation in the 1930’s. Lennie’s cognitive disability caused him to be discriminated against, just like those of color. I chose to do a diary entry so that I could really challenge and put myself in the position of those that were discriminated against for being different. I feel in our time that is 2015, we are also facing discrimination and racism with the recent police brutality. Therefore, I felt the need to do segregation in the 1930’s. With a diary entry, I could not only take emotions and experiences that I have faced for being different and discriminated against, but also those that faced prejudice in the 1930’s, to tie it all together into a diary entry from the 1930’s. My purpose...

Words: 1387 - Pages: 6

Premium Essay

A Timeless Classic

...Well in 1930’s this was pretty much the normality in day to day life. To kill Mocking bird shows what is was like to live in a time when people were treated terribly because of the color of their skin. This novel also reflects the time at which it was written because in the 1960’s racism against African Americans was still a big problem. To Kill a Mocking bird is a timeless classic because it teaches readers what it was like to live in 1930’s and issues of racism, it relates to the time period it was written in , and it also still relates to issues that are present today. During the 1930’s racism was a very big issue in the south. African Americans were treated extremely un- fair and had little civil rights. They were persecuted and discriminated against because of the color of their skin and no other reason but that. Racist Americans seemed to really think that African Americans were less important and less human then white people because there skin was brown. “Despite the decline of organizations such as the Ku Klux Klan, racism was as strong as ever, especially in the Southern states” (Allen). To me this shows that the racist white American was ignorant and honestly stupid to think that a person was less important and less human because their skin was a different color. African Americans in south were severely segregated from the white people , whether it be in a restaurant, a store or just walking down the sidewalk. To kill a mocking shows how un-fairly African Americans...

Words: 946 - Pages: 4

Premium Essay

Racism And Discrimination During The 1920's

...Amid the 1920's racism was boundless and was practically inevitable as Blacks always got threatened not only by individuals but rather the recently rising group called the Ku Klux Klan. Individuals of various religious foundations were also being abused by these groups. Segregation happened amid the 1930s when the white and black individuals were isolated inside their group in view of their skin tone. Segregation means the separation of people due to race or color in a community. Racism is loathed or prejudice of another race or different races. Even though there was a decrease of such associations as the Ku Klux Klan discrimination was as solid as ever in the Southern states there were no laws to secure against racist or loathe groups that...

Words: 443 - Pages: 2

Premium Essay

The Consequences of Racial Discrimination on African-Americans in Cleveland

...Discrimination in Cleveland: The Consequences of Racial Discrimination on African-Americans in Cleveland Abstract Discrimination is not something that can be rationalized by any argument, but we can track down the consequences of it for African Americans in Cleveland. Our ancestors a century ago laid the ground work for a segregated city by the lake and split it right down the middle with the Cuyahoga River. The east side of Cleveland has been where African Americans lived with the injustices of discrimination against them for a century now and while discrimination is not still potent, you can see the consequences it laid out for the African American community today. While some argue that discrimination has nothing to do with lack of employment or deplorable housing situation, the real truth is that the people who discriminated against them created these circumstances for African Americans. Discrimination in Cleveland: The Consequences of Racial Discrimination on African-Americans in Cleveland Consider the following scenario: A country formed on freedom and rights of individuals eventually deeming one race of individuals as unworthy of those freedoms and rights. This certain race would not be worthy of equal opportunities eventually leading to costs in the quality of life for this race for centuries. It is a curious outcome that an entire country could be built on uplifting ideals and then have double standards in its belief system. This is a scenario that unfolded...

Words: 2830 - Pages: 12

Premium Essay

Harlem Renaissance

...The Harlem Renaissance was more than a period of blues, jazz, and poetry celebrated by African American in New York during the 1920s through to the 1930s; it was a time of political and social protest. There were many talented artists, musicians, scholars, and writers during this time; but the things they drew, wrote, criticize, and the music they played were more than pretty, popular, or entertaining. All of these forms of expression had deeper meaning and the artists often try to explore unique themes related to cultural heritage or current disenfranchisement. “In the early 1900s, the burgeoning African-American middle class began pushing a new political agenda that advocated racial equality. The epicenter of this movement was in New York, where three of the largest civil rights groups established their headquarters” (Biography 3). Together, these groups were not only able to establish a sense of community and empowerment for African Americans in New York and around the country as well. African American intellectuals were beginning to realize that they needed to bond together if they wanted dreams to become a reality. In order to do this, they began organizing and thinking up all the social and political issues to tackle. They would also figure out who or where they need to go to solve these problems. The Harlem Renaissance brought many intelligent and artistic people together giving them the opportunity to help one another find opportunity and an identity. In the article...

Words: 1014 - Pages: 5

Premium Essay

To Kill A Mockingbird: Conformity And Regression Analysis

...In 2016 two black women were targeted in Burlington, Vermont by a white man leaving Ku Klux Klan papers on their doors. Susan Carlo, daughter of one of the girls targeted said: “‘It's very well known what the KKK stands for — hatred, discrimination and sometimes extreme violence," Carlo said. "We were so alarmed we went to the point of hiring a private security person,” according to The Burlington Free Press. Vermont is one of the most homogeneous states in the country. According to The United States Census Bureau: “The total percentage of black people in Vermont in 2015 was 1.3% whereas the total percentage of white people in Vermont was 94.8%.” In Vermont, people who are not white stand out and are sometimes not accepted. Similarly, discrimination...

Words: 1421 - Pages: 6

Premium Essay

Great Depression Women

...to support their families. Images of men representing the prevailing crisis. Men… men… men! Where do the women get a say in all of this? ‘WHERE DO WOMEN FIT INTO ALL OF THIS?’ Prior to the 1930s, the inequality between men and women was unbelievable. The typical household back then consisted of a father who was expected to be the major breadwinner and ‘protector’ of the home. There was also the children who attended school if their families could afford it, but what did the women do? The women were practically the maids whose duty consisted of cooking, cleaning and taking care of their spouses. With the unexpected great depression, their responsibilities had changed. As unemployment rates were increasing, the reliance on and women and sometimes children increased as well....

Words: 661 - Pages: 3

Premium Essay

Accounting

... | |Racism | | | |Racism has existed throughout human history. It may be defined as the hatred of one person by another| | |-- or the belief that another person is less than human -- because of skin color, language, customs, | | |place of birth or any factor that supposedly reveals the basic nature of that person. It has | | |influenced wars, slavery, the formation of nations, and legal codes. | |Reverse discrimination |Reverse discrimination is a term referring to discrimination against members of a dominant or | | |majority group, including the city or state, or in...

Words: 1019 - Pages: 5

Premium Essay

Racial Diversity

...twentieth centuries, the classification by race expanded to include the measurement of “mulattos”—persons of mixed black and white ancestry—and the “blood quantum” (percent of white ancestry) of American Indians. By 1890, the census racial classification reflected a growing preoccupation with identifying persons with slightest hint of African ancestry, adding categories for “quadroon” (persons with one-fourth black ancestry) and “octoroon” (persons with one-eighth or less black ancestry). In 1930, Mexicans were added to the growing list of “nonwhites.” Fearing the move as an effort to stigmatize (and possibly deny naturalization to) Mexican Americans by labeling them a nonwhite racial group, the Mexican American population (and the Mexican government) strongly protested the change, and the racial category was soon disavowed by the director of the Census Bureau What are some of the larger racial minorities in U.S. history? What have been the common ancestral backgrounds of each of these groups? When did each become a significant or notable minority group? Some of the larger racial minorities throughout U.S. history have been Native American, African American, Hispanic American and Asian Americans. A common ancestral background for African American and Hispanic Americans share a common history that is not really talked about much but is extremely connected and untouched. Throughout the United...

Words: 705 - Pages: 3

Free Essay

Origins of Islam in America

...the 12th century. The narrative by al-Idrisi was called "The Sea of Tears"”. (Ahari, 1998) Next during the 14th century with Muslims that came from the Senegabian region of Africa, “It is believed they were Moors, expelled from Spain, who made their way to the Caribbean and possibly to the Gulf of Mexico” (Cowan, 2006) Then with the 16th century with Istafan, the Arab, “who was a guide for the Spanish that wished to settle the area that would later be called Arizona in 1539”. (Ahari, 1998) The next major instance of Islam in America happened with slavery in the 18th century. This is the first real wave of Muslims in America as it is said that “Historians estimate that between 15 to 30 percent of all enslaved African men, and less than 15 percent of the enslaved African women, were Muslims” (Samuel S. Hill, 2005). Next in the late 19th and early 20th century Muslim immigrants from the Middle East, particularly from Syria and Lebanon, arrived in large numbers. “Many were settling in Ohio, Michigan, Iowa and even the Dakotas. Like most other migrants they were seeking greater economic opportunity than in their homeland and often worked as manual laborers. One of the first big employers of Muslims and blacks was the Ford Company—these were often the only people willing to work in the hot, difficult conditions of the factories.” (Cowan, 2006) This is the period where the formation of national Islamic groups begun to emerge, such as...

Words: 1120 - Pages: 5

Premium Essay

Black Texans Summary

...timeline of African Americans and the many injustices that occurred in the state of Texas. The book spans from the year 1528 to 1995, covering blacks as far back as the first slave brought to the Americas, Estevan, to contemporary times. As well as being immensely detailed, Black Texans is organized in a chronological manner and is written at a moderate pace which ensures that nothing is overlooked or any period is rushed. During the years 1866 to 1900, the emancipation proclamation was just passed and the Civil War had concluded. Slaves were technically free, but they still faced the obstacle of leaving, which for the most part did not happen. Previous slave-owners adopted the cyclical system of sharecropping which ensured a perpetual debt that could never be paid off. This resulted in many African Americans not leaving their previous conditions due to having no other options. Another obstacle soon faced after the proclamation was the local legislative laws that unjustly restricted freedmen and ostracized them from society. The terms “Nigger” and the word ape were still used to vividly describe freedmen. These legislative rulings inhibited freedmen from owning land or testifying in court. As far as advances there were not any major ones, but since the emancipation freed...

Words: 832 - Pages: 4

Free Essay

Racial Diversity

...list below: o African American o Asian American o Arab American o Hispanic American/Latino o White/Caucasian • Write a 150- to 300-word summary of the economic, social, and political standings of that group. Use additional resources if necessary, from the University Library or your textbooks. Provide citations for all the sources you use.  Collectively, African Americans are more involved in the American political process than other minority groups in the United States. Why? Because, as indicated by the highest level of voter registration and participation in elections among these groups in 2004. African Americans collectively attain higher levels of education than immigrants to the United States. African Americans also have the highest level of Congressional representation of any minority group in the U.S.The large majority of African Americans support the Democratic Party. In the 2004 Presidential Election, Democrat John Kerry received 88% of the African American vote compared to 11% for Republican George W. Bush. Historically, African Americans were supporters of the Republican Party because it was Republican President Abraham Lincoln who helped in granting freedom to American slaves; at the time, the Republicans and Democrats represented the sectional interests of the North and South, respectively, rather than any specific ideology, and both right and left were represented equally in both parties. The African American trend of voting for Democrats...

Words: 675 - Pages: 3

Premium Essay

Racial Ethnic Relations Throughout Us History

...and ethnic groups. Many people call the US a “melting pot” because of the many races and cultures that come here in the country. Over the years, names of these races and ethnic groups have changed. In 1890, African Americans were called Black, Mulatto, Quadroon, or Octoroon. In the 1930s, they were called Negros. In 1890, Native Americans were called Indians. In 1960 they were called American Indians, Aleut, and Eskimos. In 2000, they were called Alaskan Natives. In 1890 Asian Americans were called Chinese & Japanese. In 1930 they were called Filipino, Hindu, and Koreans. In 1980 Asian Indians and Vietnamese were added to describe Asian Americans. In 1930 Mexicans, Hawaiian, Asian and Pacific Islanders, Samoan, Guamanian, Hispanics, Latinos, Haitians were added to the Census to describe various races and ethnic groups. Throughout history, many races and ethnic groups had to deal with prejudice and racial discrimination. For example, Africans came from Africa and were enslaved and treated unjustly by being sold, whipped and beaten. After the Emancipation Proclamation given by President Lincoln, slaves were to be freed, but even though they were freed, they were treated unfairly by not having the same rights as regular white Americans. In the 1960s, African Americans began to fight for fair treatment and to stop segregation. Blacks were not receiving the same jobs, education, and public facilities as whites, and were called many names to feel unfit or belittled in the US...

Words: 483 - Pages: 2

Free Essay

The 1930's in Relation to of Mice and Men

...The 1930’s was a period of transformation in the political, legal, and social status of African Americans in the United States. Despite dramatic developments, many economic and demographic characteristics of African Americans at the end of the 1930’s were not that different from what they had been in the previous decades. It was for difficult for Blacks to make a living during the Great Depression. Living conditions were unreal and most people lived in extreme poverty. While these conditions affected all segments of society, African Americans were far worst off. Most of the country's Black population lived in rural areas and worked on farms owned by white landowners. For African-Americans, the depression was hard to distinguish when poverty was always a way of life. Living conditions became more horrendous when some landowners lost their properties during the Depression. However, there were many African-Americans who continued to make their living doing hard manual labor or working in dangerous areas such as in foundries, while others worked as domestic servants for whites. A smaller number worked for the railroads, steel mills, coal mines and school boards. There were some African-Americans who made fairly reasonable living operating small businesses. Around this time, the government began to get involved with the social statuses of African Americans. At the start of the decade and throughout most of his first term, neither President Franklin Roosevelt nor the Congress paid...

Words: 694 - Pages: 3

Premium Essay

Harlem Renaissance Research Paper

...Throughout the 1920s and 1930s, the Harlem Renaissance had an enormous effect on African American culture, making it the most important literary movement in African American history. However, what conditions led to this development of culture? The Harlem Renaissance was made possible by the Great Migration. Millions of African Americans left the harsh conditions in the South of the United States starting about 1910 in order to seek economic and educational possibilities in the northern cities, as well as safety from racial violence and discrimination. Major northern cities saw an increase in the black population as a result of this mass movement, which laid the foundation for the thriving cultural environment that would develop in Harlem, New...

Words: 399 - Pages: 2