Black and White: A Study on Racism in the US in the Past and at Present

A Thesis Presented to the Department of Literature College of Nursing University of Santo Tomas

In partial fulfillment of the requirements in Literature 101

Frances Abigael D. Chio

March, 2013

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Table of Contents

Title Page.. i Dedication Page ii Acknowledgment Page . iii

CHAPTER 1 .................................................................................................................................................... 1

The Problem and its Background .............................................................................................................. 1

A. B. C. D. E.

Introduction .................................................................................................................................. 1 Statement of the Problem ............................................................................................................ 4 Significance of the Study ............................................................................................................... 4 Scope and Limitations of the Study .............................................................................................. 5 Definition of Terms ....................................................................................................................... 6

CHAPTER 2 .................................................................................................................................................... 7

Review of Related Literature .................................................................................................................... 7

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CHAPTER 3 .................................................................................................................................................. 14

Summary ................................................................................................................................................. 14

CHAPTER 4 .................................................................................................................................................. 17

Discussion................................................................................................................................................ 17

CHAPTER 5 .................................................................................................................................................. 21

Summary, Conclusion, Recommendation ............................................................................................... 21

A. B. C.

Summary ..................................................................................................................................... 21 Conclusion ................................................................................................................................... 21 Recommendations ...................................................................................................................... 22

Bibliography ................................................................................................................................................ 23 BIOGRAPHY OF THE AUTHOR...................................................................................................................... 25 CURRICULUM VITAE.. 26

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I would like to dedicate this to my family who were always there from the start to support me through all of this.

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Acknowledgment

I would like to thank the following for helping me in finishing this Literature thesis:

- To my family who were always there to support me, especially during those sleepless

nights.

To my literature professor, Mr. Elmer Hibek PhD

for the guiding us on what to do and for giving us this opportunity to write our own thesis paper.

And most of all, to God the Almighty Father,

for giving me the courage and strength in finishing this paper and for being with me through the whole process of creating this thesis.

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CHAPTER 1 The Problem and its Background

A. Introduction Achievement has no color. Abraham Lincoln Anyone can and has the right to dream, aspire, achieve, and succeed regardless of skin color or raceas long as the person works hard. Racism is defined as a belief or doctrine that shows the distinctions among the different races, particularly when it comes to cultural or individual achievement. It is usually perceived as the superiority of one race from another. It exists when one race or ethnic group desires to dominate, exclude, and eliminate another group which has beliefs, culture, and appearance different from theirs (Fredrickson, 2003). Racism causes animosity among races. Written accounts of racism can be traced back to the Middle Ages. The Jews were associated with the devil and perceived as the ones responsible for witchcraft during the thirteenth and fourteenth centuries. During the Renaissance and Reformation period, Europeans started to make judgments about people with darker skin color, specifically the Africans and Asians. In the nineteenth century, blacks were freed from slavery and religious sectors began to promote human equality. Races became more competitive, thus racial crimes started. The nineteenth century became the Survival of the Fittest Era. (Fredrickson, 2003) During the 1960s racism was widespread and evident in the United States. Black people were treated as slaves. They did not get equal rights like the whites did. They were segregated and isolated. The black people had separate churches, schools, malls, and even restrooms. Sometimes, when black protesters would try to enter restaurants, stores or any other facilities labeled as White, they would be sprayed with water from large fire hoses (Flaherty, n.d.).

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It took a while during that time before someone had the strength to stand up and fight for the black race. Martin Luther King Jr., an African-American, made a big difference in ending the racial segregation and discrimination. At a very young age, he already experienced racism. Ever since he was young, his parents had always protected him and his siblings from racism. Martin Luther King Jr. was inspired by Gandhis non-violent ways to attain equality. Through his speech entitled, I Have a Dream, he was able to capture the peoples attention, emphasizing his belief th at someday all mankind can be brothers. He was successful in leading the Civil Rights Movement in the US from the mid-1950s until he was assassinated in the year 1968. His efforts led to the creation of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and the Voting Rights Act of 1965. He never gave up in his non-violent approach and appeal to the white class to achieve a peaceful change for equality. (The Biography Channel, 2013) Racism is not only about focusing on physical and socio-cultural differences, but also about fostering animosity with people with other beliefs and religions. When Hitler became the chancellor of Germany, he propagated racist ideologies in the country. The Nazis believed that their race, the Aryan race, was superior to the Jews. As such, they started attacking Jewish properties, businesses, homes, and places of worship. Jews were blamed for problems in Germany. Thousands of Jews were arrested and sent to concentration camps, abused, enslaved, and killed. (Smith, 2011) At present, racism and discrimination in different forms still exist but unlike in the past, it is not as physically violent. Although racism and discrimination still exist in some countries, such as in the United States, many whites are starting to support campaigns for equality of rights and privileges among races. Some of the whites have welcomed the idea of anti-racism campaigns, specifically in terms of beliefs, cultures, and policies (Sleeter, 32-36). Harper Lees novel, To Kill a Mockingbird, provides an accurate description of injustice in racial communities. Two men, despite being bashed and judged by the society, proved that there is more to them than how people perceived them to be. One of which was an innocent man, despite of the strong evidences that proved his

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innocence, was imprisoned and soon killed simply because of he was judged by his skin color. To Kill a Mockingbird showed the injustices and cruelty experienced by the blacks in the past. This Pulitzer Prize winning novel succeeded because of its timeless classic fictional theme. It showed that no matter what happens, good will always prevail in the end, and how growing up and human dignity unites us all. In Lees novel, the character of Atticus Finch epitomizes hopehope for the people to get the justice they deserve; that despite all the injustice and unfair judgment for the blacks, sooner or later they will obtain fairness and they will be treated justly and with dignity. Atticus Finch did not let racial difference affect him in giving the accused black man the justice he deserved. He did everything he could to prove the black mans innocence. Not only in the US is racism present. Racism and discrimination has always been an issue in many countries. It has been inevitable ever since it started. It has been a subject of curiosity to some and controversy to others. Racism doesnt bring any good. It will only bring about chaos, hatred, envy, and war. The different racial groups should eradicate imposing its superiority above other groups and propagating racial discriminationin order for peace and unity to be attained. Racism is still a serious problem in the society today. A lot of people have already suffered enough in the past. And at present, there are still some who are oppressed because of this problem. In order to solve this undying problem, change should be empowered. Each and every person in this world should work hand-in-hand to resolve this problem and achieve peace and unity. According to Gwen Robinson, a black part-time hairdresser and a community historian, It is only by communicating that we will bring some understanding to this situation (racism). And telling the story is a crucial first step. (Ferguson, 43) This study aims to show the disparity between the rights to justice given between two races, specifically the blacks and the whites. It also aims to show the negative effects that are brought about by this issue.
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B. Statement of the Problem

1. How do racism and prejudice differ from the past society to present society? 2. In what way does racism affect a person's development? 3. How can society prevent any forms of oppression in terms of physical, social, and economical aspect?

C. Significance of the Study Racism and discrimination stills exist nowadays. People of different races, may they be black, white, Caucasian, Hispanic, Asian, will be able to benefit from this study. They will learn the about the different effects of discriminating and judging others. From there, they will learn how to handle such situations. They will know how it feels like to be discriminated, how the victims felt in the past; hence, they will not be making the same mistakes others did in the past. This study can enlighten people about the sufferings and the injustices people suffered to. It will help them learn different coping mechanisms done and used by the characters in the story. Change is inevitable, thus, there is still hope for the world to change. It is just up to the people if they are willing to join in to the positive changes others are willing to do for the world. Like the statement went earlier, It is only by communicating that will bring some understanding in the situation. If each one of us is willing to communicate and cooperate, with all the efforts that each person will be making, sooner or later change will come to the world, racism and discrimination will be gone, and the world will be at peace and united as well. People of different races just have to communicate and unite in order for this kind of issue to be resolved. Each one should just have to accept each and everyones differences, may it be with physical appearance, sk in color, beliefs, religion, or culture.
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D. Scope and Limitations of the Study An award winning novel by Harper Lee, To Kill a Mockingbird is a timeless classic fictional novel that signifies black discrimination in the society and the superiority of whites over them in the past. This novel shows the innocence of a young girl and boy and how the numerous events that had happen in their community showed them the cruelty and evil of reality, and in the end still managed to have a strong faith in the goodness that exists in mankind. The study speaks of the importance of equality among races. Acceptance and respect with the differences that each and every one has is very important. Without it, people will live in hatred, envy, and possibly crime. This book teaches a lot about on how to be non-judgmental and looking and treating each person equally because in the eyes of God, everyone is equal. No matter what your skin color, physical appearance, beliefs, culture, religion, etc. it wouldnt matter because each person is created in the image and likeness of God, the Father. Harper Lee based this story from the events that were happening during her time. One of the main characters was Scout Finch. It has been said that Scouts character was patterned after Lees youth, while Atticus character was patterned after her fathers. During that time, racism was already widespread in Alabama. Her first trial encounter was when she was five, she witnessed nine young black men accused and sentenced to death for raping two white women, despite the medical testimony which says that the two white women had not been raped. Through that experience, Lee soon used it as a basis for her story in to Kill a Mockingbird. The novel is a timeless classic fictional novel. Regardless of this fact, the novel still made a great impact on the readers. It sends a very powerful and influential meaning. It teaches the readers how to judge with morals, treat every person equally and with dignity, and avoid making unfair judgments, as seen in the character of Atticus Finch.

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E. Definition of Terms

1. Racism- a belief or doctrine that inherent differences among the various human races determine cultural or individual achievement, usually involving the idea that ones own race is superior and had the right to rule others

2. Disparity- lack of similarity or equality; inequality; difference

3. Ideology- the body of doctrine, myth, belief that guides an individual, social movement, institution, class, or large group

4. Negroes- of, pertaining to, or characteristic of one of the traditional racial divisions of humankind, generally marked by brown to black skin pigmentation, dark eyes, and wooly or crisp hair and including especially the indigenous peoples of Africa south of Sahara.

5. Justice- the quality of being just, righteousness, equitableness, or moral rightness.

6. Discrimination- treatment or consideration of, or making a distinction in favour of or against, a person or thing based on the group, class, or category to which that person or thing belongs rather than on individual merit.

7. Equality- uniform character; fairness in treatment and rights given.

8. Non-violence- the policy, practice, or technique of refraining from the use of violence, especially when reacting to or protesting against oppression, injustice, discrimination, or the like

9. Animosity- a feeling of strong dislike or enmity that tends to display itself in action
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CHAPTER 2

Review of Related Literature

1. (Moon, 2012) On a Temporary Basis: Immigration, Labor Unions, and the American Entertainment Industry, 1880s1930s. The Journal of American History During the Great Depression, a lot of people lost their jobs, specifically musicians. Since Americans couldnt afford to go to nightclubs and dance halls, no money was coming in, which then leads to the lost of jobs by the musicians.

Stars and traveling companies were allowed to perform in the United States as long as they joined the Equity. The Equity was the ones who legislated performers from abroad. They thought that if foreigners would perform in the U.S. and they were central to the development of performing arts in the United States. Once they have contracted with foreigners, they are allowed to perform even if they didnt have citizenship

2. (Romer, C. 2003) The Great Depression. Encyclopedia Britannica The Great Depression was the worldwide economic downturn that began in 1929 and lasted until about 1939. It was the longest and most severe depression ever experienced by the industrialized Western world. Although the Depression originated in the United States, it resulted in drastic declines in output, severe unemployment, and acute deflation in almost every country of the globe. But its social and cultural effects were no less staggering, especially in the United States, where the Great Depression ranks second only to the Civil War as the gravest crisis in American history.

The Great Depression in the US began in the summer of 1929. The downturn became worse in late 1929 and continued until early 1933. During
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those time, real estate and prices in the market fell. Economy was worse in the United States and Europe and it was much milder in Japan and in Latin America.

They say that the primary cause of the Great Depression in the United States was there was a decline in spending and demand, which led to a decline in production. From declination in production, labor wasnt needed much so men lost their jobs.

3. (Harrison, F., 1995) The Persistent Power of Race in the Cultural and Political Economy of Racism. Annual Reviews of Anthropology

The current era of global political and cultural economy is characterized by the disorder engendered by reconfigurations of regional, national, and transnational landscapes of racism. As time passes by, races assumes new forms and is reconstructed and manipulated within a range of contemporary contexts. The notion of superiority and inferiority has become subtle and elusive. The ideology and materiality of white supremacy provided the historical precedent for subordinate racisms by providing the most systematic mode of classifying and capitalizing on race.

Despite the uneven development, racism is still characterized by a hierarchy wherein wealth, power, and advanced development are associated with whiteness and honor. According to Kohler, the world represents a global apartheid marked by severe inequalities of income, life expectancy, and power. Global wealth is a factor in the shaping, reshaping or racializing practices, relations, and ideologies.

Rationality and cultural perfectibility were used to be the epitomes of Western civilization. Europes very sense of itself depended on an opposition al relationship to violence while the sub-Saharan African epitomize the most variant of that culture and race.
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4. (Scott, L. Jr., 2003) The Relation of Racial Identity and Racial Socialization to Coping with Discrimination among African American Adolescents . Journal of Black Studies 33 (4) 520-538 Racial identity is the most explored and controversial aspect of African American life and functioning. In their life span, according to Cross and FhagenSmith, they pass through following six sectors; (a) infancy and childhood, (b) preadolescence, (c) adolescence, (d) early adulthood, (e) adult nigrescence, and (f) identity refinement. During infancy and childhood, children will be greatly influenced by their household and environmental factors, like family traditions, social class, neighbourhood culture, etc. As they emerged to the preadolescence stage, they undergo low race salience, high race salience, and internalized racism. Once they enter the adolescent stage they go through a process of identity exploration. They test and sort out their ideas and issues concerning race and the black culture with little racial or cultural content. For those African Americans who incorporate their race as a central aspect of their identities, they are likely to go through a process of what they call recycling wherein their perspectives and insights regarding their Blackness are constantly refined by new experiences and encounters. Racial discrimination has multiple manifestations. It can be experienced directly, vicariously, collectively, institutionally, and transgenerational. However, mental health outcomes linked to racism and discrimination are likely to be affected by the coping strategies used. The type of coping strategy used by adolescents is related to different mental health outcomes. Coping strategies are generally related to greater feelings of self-efficacy and less distress. In contrast, the use of strategies that avoid stressors or manage emotional reaction to stressors are generally related to greater distress and lower feelings of selfefficacy.

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5. (Nuru- Jeter, 2008) Its The Skin Youre In: African-American Women Talk About Their Experiences of Racism. An Exploratory Study to Develop Measures of Racism for Birth Outcome Studies. 13(1) 29-39 Psychological distress is an important indicator of the mental well-being of the population. Findings regarding racial differences in distress are inconclusive but may represent an important pathway through which disparities exist across a number of physical health outcomes. A study was done regarding stress due to racism experience and the effects of it to birth outcome. Major themes that were self-reported experiences with racism are: 1.) Racism occurred throughout the lifecourse with childhood experiences seeming particularly salient and to have enduring effect, 2.) The women experienced interpersonal, institutional, and internalized forms of racism, 3.) they experienced racism both directly and vicariously, which is primarily related to the experiences of their children, 4.) Racism was experienced in various social settings, 5.) The women had active and passive response to racism, which manifested different behaviors,

6. (Hughes, D. and Johnson, D., 2001) Correlates in Children's Experiences of Parents' Racial Socialization Behaviors. Journal of Marriage and Family 63(4) 981-995

The attitude and beliefs of children with relation to races is usually influenced by the parents. The way or the manner parents speak to their children regarding race is viewed as an important determinants with regards to their behaviour when it comes to race. Parents based their racial socialization and beliefs from their sociodemographic backgrounds, attitudes, and experiences. Studies have shown that parents over emphasis on racial differences may weaken the childrens efficacy and give them the instinct to withdraw from activities that can give them opportunities and reward in the society.

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The study has identified a group that determine how parents choose messages that prepare children to cope with a racial society. Childrens ethnic identity exploration appears to provide an important motivation for parents to socialize their children regarding racial differences and discrimination.

7. (Chong, D. and Rogers, R., 2005) Racial Solidarity and Political Participation. Political Behavior 27(4) 347-374 Studies conducted in the 1960s and 1970s generally confirmed that racial group soli-darity boosted rates of participation among African Americans. But since the 1980s, research has tended to conclude that the effect of solidarity on voter turnout among blacks and other minorities has moderated if not faded entirely.

Feelings of group solidarity have been associated mostly with African Americans and other racial minorities in the political science research. Relative deprivation in early psychological models of the concept perhaps encouraged the thinking that it was relevant only to the minorities. This form of identity would seem generalized to all social groups. Group solidarity can be conceptualized either narrowly or broadly, depending on whether we are testing the effect of basic psychological identification with a group or the influence of ideological beliefs and evaluations that comprise a more expansive consciousness. Identification refers to an individual's sense of belonging or attachment to a social group. Consciousness, in contrast, combines basic in-group identification with a set of ideas about the group's status and strategies for improving it.

8. (Benson, J. E., 2006) Exploring the Racial Identities of Black Immigrants in the United States. Sociological Forum 21(2) 219-247 Black migrants face several challenges to finding their place within American society. Like most immigrant groups, many black migrants must adjust from being the majority in their home society to being a minority in American society. Black migrants, unlike light-skinned migrants, also face an entirely
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different set of issues directly related to fitting in with American society-they must reconstruct and redefine their identity in terms of the American society's system of race relations and hierarchies.

9. (Gomez, B.T. and Wilson, J.M., 2006) Rethinking Symbolic Racism: Evidence of Attribution Bias. The Journal of Politics 68(3) 611-625 One of the core tenets in the study of white America's attitudes toward race and racial policy is the concept of "symbolic racism." Originating with the work of Sears and Kinder (1971), symbolic racism is meant to describe whites' animus toward blacks in its con-temporary guise. As opposed to the overt racism of the Jim Crow era, which Sears and Kinder argue was repudiated and largely displaced by the end of the 1960s, symbolic racism reflects a indirect form of intolerance. Attribution psychology suggests that causal attri-bution is affected both by the characteristics of the problem confronting the individual and by the characteristics of the person trying to work through it. As Hilton and Slugoski put it, the attribution process is sensitive to the individual's base level of

information/knowledgean d motivationt owardt he task. In other words, to identify a causal relationship, the individual must have knowledge of possible causes and be motivated to puzzle through the causal linkage. 10. (Best, R.H., n.d) Panopticism and the Use of the Other in To Kill a Mockingbird. One of the central themes in Harper Lees To Kill a Mockingbird is the quest to understand the relationships among people and groups of people. The sense of the Other is apparent in the social development of Scout and Jem, in class, race, and gender prejudices and even in childrens fascination with the legendary Arthur Boo Radley. Children like Scout and Jem develop their own personalities and find their places in society by copying the behaviour of people
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in similar social positions, by learning social norms associated with particular socioeconomic classes, and by learning to identify the Other. Scout and Jem learn the behaviour society expects of them through he behaviour both of those who are of their own class- such as Miss Maudie, Atticus, Uncle Jack, and even their Aunt Alexandra---also of those Others like, Tom Robinson, the Cunninghams, Calpurnia, Boo Radley, and the Ewells. The disciplinary mechanisms that are widespread in Maycombs society include both the devices of physical torture---lynch mobs and stacked juries for blacksand of social exclusion for both black and whites. This was a novel of a tale about variety of boundaries---those of race, religion, culture, sex, and tradition.

Racism affects, not only the blacks, not only the Jews, but it affects all of everyone in the world. If people want peace and unity in this world, all have to work together in uplifting equality for everyone. Everyone has to be willing to make a change. Change starts within. If no one steps up for the better, nothing will happen. Imagine 10 years from now, if this issue of racism will not be dissolved, it can grow bigger and worse again and in the people will suffer, and the next generations will suffer. The opportunity is still there. People should grab it and change for the better. Its never too late to change.

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CHAPTER 3 Summary

The setting of the story is in Maycomb, Alabama. Scout Finch, 6 years old and her brother Jem, who was 10 years old then, lived with their father Atticus, who was a lawyer. Together with them is Calpurnia, a black woman who works as a cook in the Finches household and whom Atticus trusts very much to take care of his children when he is at work. In the first part of the story, Scout and Jem met a boy named Dill, who came to Maycomb for the summer to live with his aunt. The three of them became friends. One day, Dill was very much obsessed with an old house in their community, particulalrly, the story of Boo Radley. Boo was a trouble with the law as a youth and was kept in that house with his father. It was said that he stabbed his father in the leg with a pair of scissors but his father refused to take him to an asylum. Fascinated about this legend, Dill wanted to make Boo Radley come out of his house but in the end he just settled for a dare to Jem to touch the Radley house. When he did, Scout saw someone peeping through the window from the house. Summer ends and Dill returns to his hometown in Mississippi. That year would be the first year Scout goes to school and hates it. During her first day, Miss Caroline, her teacher, criticizes her for knowing how to read and tells her to tell her father to stop teaching her. The climax of their school year was whenever they found stuff into a knothole of a tree next to the Radleys house: a gum and two old pennies. When Dill returns for summer, they became more sneaky around the Radleys house, One day, Nathan Radley, brother of Boo Radley caught them and thought that they were thieves. They had to run and Jems pants gets caught in the fence of the Radleys, so he had to take it out and leave it behind. When he goes back later that night, he was rather amazed to find his pants mended and folded. School came again, and Scout still hated school. Scout and Jem continued to find things from the knothole, like soap carved to look like them, a twine, a gum, and a

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broken watch. Jem decided to write a letter and place it in the knothole. The next day, Nathan Radley covers the knothole with cement. One winter day, Miss Maudie Atkinsons house gets caught on fire. Scout and Jem watched the fire from the Radley house. When they went home, Scout notices that someone has draped a blanket over her. Jem hypothesizes that Boo Radley gave her that. That same year, Atticus was assigned to defend a black man named Tom Robinson, who was accused by a white man, Bob Ewell of raping his daughter, Mayella Ewell. The Ewells were known liars and cannot be trusted. Scout hears students from her school saying that Atticus defends niggers. Scout asks why and he says because he was defending a black man, which was an issue during that time because a white man doesnt usually defend a black man. Atticus tells Scout that people will say bad things about him or them, but she has to keep her head up and avoid fights. Scout does so and this was the first time she has ever walked out from a fight. During Christmas, Atticus gave Jem and Scout the air rifle they wanted but didnt teach them how to use it. He told them never to shoot mockingbirds, and Miss Atkinson, their neighbour explains that all mockingbirds do is sing and create beauty and pleasure, so it would be a sin to hurt them. The second half of the novel started when Atticus left for two weeks and Scout and Jem were left with Calpurnia. She invited the two kids to attend her church that Sunday when Atticus was away. Jem and Scout were welcomed by the all black community except for one, Lula. She told Calpurnia, Stop right there, nigger. You aint got no business bringin white chillun here--- they got their church, we got ourn. It is our church, aint it, Miss Cal? This goes to show racism and prejudice. Before the trial starts, Atticus sister, Alexandra came to live with the Finchs. Dill also did arrive. Alexandra treats Calpurnia more of a servant than a family member, opposing to how Atticus treats her. She also tries to make Scout act like a girl. The day before the trial of Tom Robinson, Heck Tate, Maycombs sheriff, together with a group of men came to talk to Atticus. He said that Tom Robinson is to be moved to Maycomb jail from the country jail which might be trouble. Atticus decides to drive to
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town and stay overnight outside jail to watch over Tom Robinson because a mob attack was expected. True enough. That night, Mr. Cunningham together with other men came and surrounded Atticus. Scout spots him and asks him to say hi to Walter for her. Mr. Cunningham. This made him remember the day the Finches help his son, so he and the other men backed out. The next day, at the trial, Atticus presents to Judge Taylor strong evidences of Tom Robinsons innocence and that Bob Ewell was lying, like Mayellas left side face was battered when Toms left arm was useless because of a past accident. But despite the strong evidence presented, Robinson was still convicted. The only possible explanation is that racism affected the decision of the jury. Because of what happened at the trial, when Bob Ewell almost lost, he wanted revenge. During Halloween, he tried to hurt Scout and Jem. Jem broke his arm and in the scene lost his consciousness, but in the end someone came to save them to Scouts surprise, it was Boo Radley. He came out of the house and carried Jem back to their house for him to be cured. Through that moment, Scout realized that the rumors werent true, that Boo Radley wasnt scary at all.

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CHAPTER 4

Discussion

1. How do racism and prejudice differ from the past society to present society?

At very start, during the time of the Greeks and Romans, people were not fighting about skin color and race. They were fighting about prejudice and chauvinism. Among the Romans during those time, the African persons were leading, some of whom became Roman emperors. The black Roman emperors and the other black who were non-Roman thought that they were better than anybody else, than the others. The discrimination that started was neither about race nor color; it was more about their culture. (Daniels, n.d.)

Prejudice and racism evolved into discrimination, exclusion, deprivation and oppression based on color or race. This is called the white superiority or domination of the white race. Racism and cultural aggression were and are highly destructive to colored people because since they do not get equal rights and opportunities, they are not able to develop as an individual or community. (Daniels, n.d) Racism in the past was very much worse than racism today. If before, racism was very superficial, nowadays it is discreet. In the past, there has been a lot of racial tension among blacks and whites. The black people were enslaved; they were inferior to the white race. Everything was segregated, from toilets, malls, buses, churches, schools. The blacks properties had Coloured signs placed outside. They were not allowed to go to the same public parks or churches that the whites go to. During that time, the blacks were treated more of like properties of the whites than human beings and individuals. They were never given any respect or considerations because for the whites, whatever they do wrong can be blamed to the blacks. Lynches were common in the past. White mobs would murder blacks and still get away with it. Justice wasnt served fairly. They would get blamed for the wrong things in the society. Maids or
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household helpers were mostly black. The blacks were not given the same quality of care in health clinics than the white. Some of them were allowed to die and some children were neglected. Even in other parts of the world, like Germany, racism was evident during the Holocaust. At that time Jews were tortured and incinerated in concentration camps. Because of the splitting of the Nazis and the Jews, a war began. (Ganapathi, n.d) Today, racial discrimination still exists but in a different form. Compared to the past, racism today is unseen in other countries especially in the U.S. An example of this is the O.J. Simpson trial. Simpson was a black guy who killed his wife who was of the white race. Instead of accusing him as a person or as a man, people just thought of it as black killing a white. Most of the jury were black so in the end the case was dismissed and Simpson got away with it. Racism from the past has been passed down from generation to generation, all the way to the present, only this time, it is not that obvious. If this problem continues, sooner or later there would be no unity in the world. The chances of creating another war will be high.

2. In what way does racism and prejudice affect a person's development? Racism and prejudice can affect an individual in a positive or negative way. According to Dr. Pouissant, a well-known author, psychiatrist and educator who represented the national theme for the month Afro-American Scholars: Leaders, Activists and Writers, Racism can destroy us as individuals and ultimately destroy the world," he continued "One of the reasons why it has historically been so lethal and devastating is that when played out unharnessed, the bottom line, is genocide. Once you know that racism leads to genocide, and frequently that is one of its missions, then you can spread out and kind of tabulate the other manifestations on a different level of

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the genocidal doctrine. Racism plays itself out institutionally in the way we deal with people." (Suddreth, 1993) Racism can affect an individual in a positive way because sometimes it can push the person to prove himself, that it is not about color or race that is important, it is about how an individual lives his life and contributions to the society to make a positive change. Racism can have a lot of negative effects on an individual. It can make him angry, bitter or violent. It can destroy self-confidence and lower self-esteem. It can create a murderer or a criminal. It can destroy peace in the community. It can start a division within a society. It can cause chaos. Having somebody discriminate against a person because of the physical appearance or skin color is bad enough, but making that person feel that he/she is inferior and is worthless just because of color or race is worse. 3. How can society prevent any forms of oppression in terms of physical, social, and economical aspect? Society can prevent forms of oppression in terms of physical, social, and economical aspect by having an open mind and heart, promoting change and equality, challenging ones self, and speaking up against injustice. By having an open mind and an open heart, oppression can be stopped. By listening to what others have to say and trying to understand others point of view before judging someone, oppression can be stopped. Learning new things and accepting others beliefs and culture can help put to an end to the issue of racism. Change is inevitable and equality is possible. By promoting change, society will be able to end the oppression. Change in a sense that all the biases and prejudice be stopped. Each person should be given equal opportunities, equal rights. As long as we dont just think of ourselves, as long as we think of others as well, equality can be achieved. But no, some people are greedy enough to think only of themselves. If we want equality, change should be uplifted. One shouldnt see oneself as superior
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to the other because everyone is created equally. Every person has rights. Some may come from a poor family and some people may be rich, but at the end of the day, those wealth and everything doesnt really count. What counts is our dignity as a human. Challenging others to change is one thing and challenging ones self to do the same is another. Challenge yourself. Expand ones world view by expanding ones world and learning about others. Learn about other cultures and beliefs. By learning about them, one will be able to understand them. And by understanding them, one will know where others are coming from and no one will oppress and no one will be oppressed. Injustice happens in other countries, in other states, and in others community. Injustice happens everywhere. It may be social, environmental, racial, legal, economic, or others. By speaking up against injustice acts and identifying the problem, others will notice the oppression happening in their surroundings and one by one it will be solved and in the end, oppression will be no more.

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CHAPTER 5 Summary, Conclusion, Recommendation A. Summary The study is entitled Black and White: A Study on Racism in the Past and at Present. The study has five chapters. Chapter 1 tells something about racism and its history. It is also stated in Chapter 1 the significance of the study as well as the scope and limitations. Chapter 2 contains the Review of Related Literature can be seen. Here discussions about Racism and Great Depression were explained through various articles. Chapter 3 indicates a brief summary of the novel. The story was divided in the two parts one was about Boo Radley, and the other was killed because of injustice. In this study, racism was discusses thoroughly from the history down to the present. To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee is a timeless classic novel. Harper Lee was able to incorporate reality and herself into a non-fiction book. She applied her experiences in the novel, like the one of Tom Robinson s case. In 1931, she witnessed nine black teenage boys who were accused of raping two white girls. The nine teenage black boys underwent a trial for six years, with convictions, reversals and numerous retrials. Even though it was proven that the boys were innocent, when one of the girls changed her testimony and admitted that no rape had occurred, still five of them were convicted of rape and sentenced to death. In this study, racism was discusses thoroughly from the history down to the present.

B. Conclusion There are a lot of issues seen in the novel, but the main problem was the one of racism. Racism has been part of mans life since the forever. It is rather quite hard to end. No matter how much it is pressed, racism will always occur because everyone is raised from different backgrounds and values. In a perfect world there would be no judgment and discrimination towards people with a
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different ethnicity than ones one. Although there is still racism today, it is not nearly as bad as the past. Everyone has to remember that racism has come a long way. It is a work in progress that like all things, takes time. Racism can affect a person in a positive or negative way. It can make or break a mans life. This can be avoided from happening by 1) having an open mind and heart, 2) promoting change and equality, 3) challenging ones self, and lastly 4) speaking up against injustice. Like what Abraham Lincoln said Achievement has no color. Here, we can achieve the dream of equality if we will all help one another

C. Recommendations Having finishes the doing this study, the researcher recommends that: 1. The next readers should also research on how To Kill a Mockingbird can be related to the political injustices happening in the world. 2. The readers should do examine the similarities of this novel to the movie The Help and children were used as a symbol of hope. 3. The next readers should do a comparative study on novels with the same theme and check for comparisons and contrasts.

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Bibliography

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Barbee, E. L. (1993). Racism in U.S. Nursing. Medical Anthropology Quarterly,7(4), 346-362.

Benson, J. E. (2006). Exploring the Racial Identities of Black Immigrants in the United States. Sociological Forum, 21(2), 219-247.

Best, R. H. (2009). Panopticism and the Use of "the Other" in To Kill a Mockingbird. The Mississippi Quarterly ,62(3-4), 541-552.

Chong, D., & Rogers, R. (2005). Racial Solidarity and Political Participation.Political Behavior, 27(4), 347-374.

Daniels, R. (n.d.). raceandhistory.com - Racism: Past and Present.RACEANDHISTORY.COM : Understanding how Race and History impact us today. Retrieved March 15, 2013, from http://www.raceandhistory.com/historicalviews/racism.htm

Fredrickson, G. M. (n.d.). RACE - The Power of an Illusion . Background Readings | PBS. PBS: Public Broadcasting Service. Retrieved March 14, 2013, from http://www.pbs.org/race/000_About/002_04-background-02-01.htm

Ganapathi, A. (n.d.). Racism In The Past, Present And Future research paper, Discrimination essay, term paper. On-line Writing Service | Order Custom Essay, Term Paper, Research Paper, Thesis, Dissertation and more. Retrieved March 15, 2013, from http://www.customessaymeister.com/customessays/Discrimination/9953.htm

Gomez, B. T., & Wilson, J. M. (2006). Rethinking Symbolic Racism: Evidence of Attribution Bias. The Journal of Politics,68(3), 611-625.

HarperLee.com. (n.d.). HarperLee.com. Retrieved March 14, 2013, from http://www.harperlee.com/bio.htm Harrison, F. V. (1995). The Persistent Power of Race in the Cultural and Political Economy of Racism. Annual Reviews of Anthropology, 24, 47-74.

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Hughes, D., & Johnson, D. (2001). Correlates in Children's Experiences of Parents' Racial Socialization Behaviors.Journal of Marriage and Family, 63(4), 981-995.

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Nazi Party History.com Articles, Video, Pictures and Facts. (n.d.). History.com History Made Every Day American & World History. Retrieved March 14, 2013, from http://www.history.com/topics/nazi-party

Nuru-Jeter, A. (2008). Its The Skin Youre In: African-American Women Talk About Their Experiences of Racism. An Exploratory Study to Develop Measures of Racism for Birth Outcome Studies.Maternal and Child Health Journal, 13(1), 29-39.

Romer, C. D. (1990). The Great Crash and the Onset of the Great Depression.Quarterly Journal of Economics, 105(3), 597624.

Scott, L. D. (2003). The Relation of Racial Identity and Racial Socialization to Coping with Discrimination among African American Adolescents. Journal of Black Studies, 33(4), 520-538.

Suddreth, L. D. (1993, February 22). How Racism Affects Everyone (February 22, 1993) - Library of Congress Information Bulletin. Library of Congress Home. Retrieved March 15, 2013, from http://www.loc.gov/loc/lcib/93/9304/racism.html

What is Racism?. (n.d.). ADL: Fighting Anti-Semitism, Bigotry and Extremism. Retrieved March 14, 2013, from http://archive.adl.org/hate-patrol/racism.asp

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BIOGRAPHY OF THE AUTHOR American writer, famous for her race relations novel To Kill a Mockingbird, Harper Lee was born in Monroeville, Alabama. Her father was a former newspaper editor and proprietor, who had served as a state senator and practiced as a lawyer in Monroeville. Lee studied law at the University of Alabama from 1945 to 1949, and spent a year as an exchange student in Oxford University, Wellington Square. Six months before finishing her studies, she went to New York to pursue a literary career. In 1959, Lee accompanied Truman Capote to Holcombe, Kansas as a research assistant for Capotes classic non-fiction novel In Cold Blood (1966). To Kill a Mockingbird was Lees first novel which was awarded the Pulitzer Prize in 1961.

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Chio, Frances Abigael D.

Personal Statement

Age: 19 years old Birthday: April 5, 1993 Birthplace: Manila Religion: Roman Catholic

Education and Qualifications

College: University of Sto. Tomas, Espaa, Manila [June 2010 present]

Bachelor of Science in Nursing

High School: Assumption College, San Lorenzo- Makati [June 2006 March 2010] Grade School: Colegio De Sta. Rosa- Makati [June 2000- March 2006]

Leadership Experiences
Class Vice President [June 2010 March 2011] 1st Year Section 10 2nd Year Section 3 Class Vice President [June 2011- March 2012]

Affiliations
Rotaract, UST College of Nursing [A.Y. 2012-2013]- member NCBS Staffer [A.Y. 2012-2013] - Productions Committee- member - Promotions Committee- member Binuklod ng Isip, Sipag at Galing (BISIG) [A.Y. 2012-2013]- member

Parents Information
Father: Mother: Jaime U. Chio Jr. Loise D. Chio Occupation: retired Occupation: retired Marital Status: Married Marital Status: Married .

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