There are many examples of racial prejudice and injustice
in Mildred Taylor's novel, Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry. I've
included four examples:
THE
SCHOOLS. The differences between the two schools are based on racial and
social prejudice. The all-African-American school, the Great Faith Elementary and
Secondary School, is second-class in comparison with the all-white Jefferson Davis
County School. Cassie's school gets worn-out books that are discarded from Jefferson
Davis, and the white children are bused to school, while the black kids have to
walk.
THE BERRYS. John
Henry Berry and his two nephews are deliberately set afire by a group of white "night
riders." Mr. Berry dies from his
injuries.
MR.
MORRISON. The Logan family friend, Mr. Morrison, relates
how he was fired from his job. He got into a fight with two white men and, although they
started the fight, only Morrison was fired because he was
black.
THE BUS DRIVER. A
white bus driver for the Jefferson Davis school deliberately "bears down" on several
black children, who are forced to jump into a muddy ditch. The white kids on the bus
taunt the black kids with shouts of "Nigger!"
These are
only four examples, and they all take place in the first three chapters of the novel.
Sadly, there are many more to be discovered.
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