A-Z SHORT STORIES

After the end of the American Civil War in 1865, legislation was passed to end slavery. Black Americans were legally free. It was then made illegal for people to be denied the vote or discriminated against because of the colour of their skin. Despite these good intentions, black Americans still faced hostility, bigotry and persecution. Most whites believed that blacks were inferior in every way. Politically, socially, and economically; black Americans were second class citizens. For most white Americans, the question of equal rights for black Americans simply did not arise.

Background Context

It is important to remember that America was a much more racially divided country in those days. The situation was much worse in the southern states but even in the north, where this story is set, few good jobs were open to black people. Not many black people had any education beyond high school level. The big civil rights movements of the 1950s and 60s, and black leaders like Martin Luther King and Malcolm X, were not yet active. Although many in America were aware of the injustice around them, there was very little they felt they could do about it.