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How May would have Reacted
May would have reacted very strongly to this event, but not in her usual expected way. Usually May gets extrmely sad and has to go calm down alone at her special wall.That reaction usually happens when something bad happens. Slaves being freed would have made her so happy and thats great for a change. -
Lincoln issues the Emancipation Proclamation
On January first, 1863, President Abraham Lincoln issued the Emancipation Proclomation. He did this because it was a war measure. During that time the American Civil War was happening. The proclamtion stated that all slaves in the last remaining 10 states, in rebellion, we're to be given freedom.This freed 3-4 million slaves. -
South Carolina Railroads
In 1903, there was a amended law from 1900 that stated railroad companies had to furnish seperate compartments for coloured and white people.This was only applicable on passenger trains.This happened in South Carolina. With freight trains , white and black people we're seperated.If passengers didnt oblige they were fined $25 and charged with a misdemeanor. -
Reaction to Train Law
I wrote about the train law because it took place in South Carolina,just like the Secret Life of Bees. I think that if August,June, May and Zach would have all reacted to this strongly.August and June would have been dissapointed with how terrible people we're being. May would have broke down crying because its sad that coloured people we're treated so badly. Zach would have gotten angry because after his arrest he becomes really invested with the Civil Rights Movement and racial equality. -
Stock Market Crashes; Start of Great Depression
On this day the stock market in the United States crashed. This was one of the worst stock market crashes to ever happen in the U.S. This was the beginning of the Great Depression that lasted for 10 years. -
How Zach Would Have Reacted to Stock Crashing
I choose to write about how Zach would feel about the market crashing, and what he would do because he wanted to be a lawyer. I bet that when the market crashed there was hundreds of desperate people who hired lawyers. Being the kind soul Zach was portrayed as , he would have worked very hard to help people in a time like that. -
Percentage of who aggrees with Integrated Schools
In 1940, 30% of Americans ,40% of Northerners and 2% of the Southerners all thought that black people and white people should attend the same schools.This proves that not that many people believed black people were equal to white people. I think that Lily at first might have agreed to this because in a quote it mentions her believing white people are superior. At the end she thinks white and black people are equal. This is a good thing because it shows people can change their minds about racism. -
Stores Close Down Rather than Accept Black People
In the mid 1960's ,The Civil Rights Act stated that discrimination against race,colour , religion and national orgin was banned. Instead of trying to accept this, many white people choose to close down their establishments rather than accept black people.In the novel it mentions a motel in Jackson,Mississippi, closed down rather than accept black quests.This affects everyone in the novel because they realize the state their town is in and the racism around them.It also makes May go to the wall. -
Lily's Prejudice
In a quote from the book Lily shows her prejudice side, and also her sense of nationalism of being white and that white people are smarter than black people."I thought they could be smart,but not as smart as me,me being white".Lily is surprised that August is intelligent and cultured.All throughout the 1960's white people believe they are better than black people. I think that the stores closing down is also a sign of predjudice. -
President Johnson signs The Civil Rights Act
On July 2, 1964 president Lyndon B. Johnson signed the Civil Rights Act. -
Rosaleen's Arrest
In the novel on the day July 2, president Johnson signs the Civil Rights Act. This encourages Rosaleen(Lily's stand in mother) to register to vote.As they are walking to the building where she can register, they pass three racist men.The men provoke Rosaleen and she assaults them. She walks up to them and pours her snuff juice onto their feet.This leads to her arrest and getting beaten.This is what makes Lily leave Sylvan, so therefore it plays a big part in the overall story. -
Jack Palance in Tuiscaloosa
It's rumoured that Jack Palance went to Tuscaloosa to join the fight for civil rights. One night him and his family go to the Druid theatre and three men sit behind them saying he was paid by the NAACP and Congress of Racial equality to attend a movie with black people.Later on bricks were thrown at the glass and an angry mob of white people broke out.Palance's rental car was vandalized and there was a flyer with the message:"The Knights of the KU KLUX KLAN is watching you". -
Jack Palance in Tibourbon and Zach's Arrest
In the novel it mentions that Jack Palance is bringing his black girlfriend to a movie theatre in the town where most of the novel takes place. On the day this happens Lily and Zach go into town and there is an angry mob outside the theatre and Zach's friend fights them.This leads to Zach's arrest, leaving the Boatwright family,Lily and Rosaleen feeling shaken and angry. -
Integration Parade in St.Augustine
In the Secret Life of Bees it talks about something that is shown on TV. Rosallen watches it and it says Walter Cronkite talked about an integration parade in St.Augustine that was attacked by a white vigilante mob.Three civil rights workers were killed, two bombs went off and three black students were chased with ax handles.This actually happened. -
Peak of Integrated Schools
In the year of 1988, the percent of black students attending white schools hit an all time high. In a poll it shoiwed that 45% of black students in the United States were attending white majority schools. To me this was a reminder of the end of the book because Zach and Lily both go to an integrated school. It was around the time black students started going to school with white people. I think the fact that Zah and Lily could go to school together is great.
