Race Relation To Kill A Mockingbird

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Race relations have played a critical role in forming today’s nation. This has been an evolving process over the past and current centuries. Race has always been prevalent in the United States and many people have fought to overcome racial differences. Even though race relations have improved from the early 1900s, this country continues to strive for unity. Even though cases such as Tom Robinson’s trial in To Kill a Mockingbird, the Scottsboro Boys Trials, and the Emmett Till Murder Trial all occurred in the 20th century. These race-related crimes continue in today’s society such as with William Blackie, a Native American, who in 2006, was brutally beaten by three caucasian youth. In the novel To Kill a Mockingbird, a trial occurs in …show more content…
In 1931, a case came to life when nine, African American teenage boys were accused of rape. On March 25,1931, a group of black and white teens were aboard Southern Railroad’s Chattanooga to Memphis train. Nine African American male teens were aboard with two male and two female white teens. After riding with one another for some time a rock throwing fight began after one of the white teens stepped on the hand of an African American named Haywood Patterson. All of the white youth except one were thrown off of the freight train during this brawl. The teens who were thrown from the train went to the stationmaster and told him that they had been attacked by the African Americans on the train. When the train was stopped by the police in Scottsboro, the African American teens were arrested and taken to jail. In the same car two women were also found, Victoria Price and Ruby Bates. When they were interviewed, they told the police that they had been raped by the gang of teens. The court decided to do several different trials, so they would only try at most three teens in one trial. During the first trial the women were interviewed and identified the teens who had supposedly rapped them. Six of the boys told the court that they had never seen nor touched the women but three others told the jury that …show more content…
The case of William Blackie was considered a hate crime, for the color of his skin. On June 4, 2006, Blackie was walking home from a bar when three white youth stopped him. The youth stopped and told Blackie they would give him a ride if he bought them beer. Blackie agreed and got into the truck. After the truck began going, Blackie realized they were heading in the wrong direction. One of the boys told him they were going to a party first. ”Blackie sensed trouble. He asked Winer to pull over so he could relieve himself and Winer did, but no sooner had Blackie stepped out than he was clocked hard and fast in the head with a club. He fell to the ground and tried to crawl away as the men stomped and kicked his prone body, shouting, "Die nigger! Just die!"”( Violence Against American Indians). When the youth realized that Blackie did not have anything with him, such as money, they left him bleeding in the desert. He called 911 and they were able to find him through his cell phone. The police later found out who the assailants were and they were convicted of felony assault and kidnapping. Even though the men were convicted of the crime, it does not justify the acts that continue to happen in today’s society. This case was considered a hate crime because of the color of William Blackie’s skin.
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