The Ethnics Of Living Jim Crow

There are many books and articles about the Jim Crow laws. The Ethnics Of Living Jim Crow drew the reader in and, as Richard learned about all aspects of the Jim Crow laws, so did the reader. You also felt his anger and fear towards the white man.

It was interesting to me when Richard said that the green bushes and white house’s became a symbol of fear for him. All through middle school and high school you learn about black suffrage; but you can’t necessarily understand.  The examples of what happened to Richard throughout his life and the way the author presented the story really helped me understand the ugly reality of Jim Crow laws.

Knowing that there were topics that were considered “safe to talk about” with white men was an interesting insight into the past. It interested me because I could identify with this concept.  There are certain topics that you can talk about with certain people. And then there are certain topics that you absolutely cannot talk about to certain people. The list, it seemed, that was safe for Richard to talk about was very small compared to the very long list of things about which he could not discuss.

Sometimes when you read these stories, about the Jim Crow laws, you wonder if any of it could be exaggerated. But no, it would seem it was that horrible. I have often thought that there is no way a police officer or high school boy could possibly be that cruel. Or, conversely, that someone could be that brave and strong to survive what people do survive. I have always looked up to and aspired to be like Richard and people like Richard. People who took a beating and worse and still survived and thrived. It makes our relative lives seem easy and wimpy. It always puts things into perspective for me when I read a story like this. They had it so bad and yet they survived. It definitely makes me embarrassed about all the small things I have ever complained about. It also makes me want to become a stronger person.

I understand why we learn about the Jim Crow laws; to understand the past and learn from it. I sometimes think people have too big of egos. That people are rash and greedy. That we can be like two year olds constantly shouting mine, mine, mine. But Richard was nothing like that. Surviving in a time of such intense hatred, seems to me, is the bravest thing you can do.