BY: Crystal Brooks English Language Arts Time For Change BY: Crystal Brooks English Language Arts

Background The 1900’s in America were a very hard time for African Americans. Leon Tillage and Jackie Robinson both felt the hardships via: segregation, social inequalities, and racism.

Racial Segregation Racial segregation is separation of humans into racial groups in daily life. It may apply to activities such as eating in a restaurant, drinking from a water fountain, using a public toilet, attending school, going to the movies, riding on a bus, or in the rental or purchase of a home.

Jackie Robinson & Segregation In the Short Story “Jackie Robinson”, he encountered the hardships of segregation on a daily basis. Before entering the major league in , African Americans were not allowed to play in the Major leagues. They had their own league called the Negro Leagues. Jackie signed a contract to play for the Brooklyn Dodgers. This was only the first of many barriers that Jackie Robinson had to face.

Leon’s Story & Segregation In the book Leon’s story, Tillage informs us that as a teenager he encountered many instances of segregation. He was unable to ride on the front of the bus when traveling. He and other African Americans had to enter and sit at the back of the bus. If there were no seats left at the front of the bus for a white person, he might have to give up that seat at the back of the bus also for a white person to sit down.

America & Segregation After the Civil War, millions of formerly enslaved African Americans hoped to join the larger society as full and equal citizens. Although some white Americans welcomed them, others used people’s ignorance, racism, and self-interest to sustain and spread racial divisions. By 1900, new laws and old customs in the North and the South had created a segregated society that condemned Americans of color to second-class citizenship.

Racism Racism is generally defined as actions, practices or beliefs, or social or political systems that are based in views that see the human species to be divided into races with shared traits, abilities, or qualities, such as personality, intellect, morality, or other cultural behavioral characteristics, and especially the belief that races can be ranked as inherently superior or inferior to others, or that members of different races should be treated differently

Jackie Robinson Jackie Robinson faced racism on a regular basis. When entering the field he was often called racial slurs and people there things at him. They did not want to accept an African American man playing in the major leagues. He received hate mail and threatening letters to his home because of the color of his skin.

Leon’s Story & Racism Leon Tillage dealt with the harsh conditions of racism on a daily basis. On the walk to school the white children would throw stones at him and chase him home because he was African American. Also he was not allowed to play with the white kids because of the hatred from their parents and because he had to work from sun up to sun down. He went to a different school from the whit kids and read from old raggedy books.

America & Racism During the 1900’s the United States, at the turn of the century, was greatly divided along racial and ethnic lines. With segregated neighborhoods becoming the "law of the land" the divisions between races were obvious. But the law also showed the hatred held in the hearts of the privileged over the underprivileged. A sad commentary but the evidence is as prominent as the nose on your face. There were, and are, benefits associated with segregation. During the years of segregation black businesses, and professionals prospered because segregation also segregated the black American consumer.

Social Inequalities Social inequality refers to relational processes in society that have the effect of limiting or harming a group’s social status, social class, and social circle. Areas of social inequality include access to voting rights, freedom of speech and assembly, the extent of property rights and access to education, health care, quality housing, traveling, transportation, vacationing and other social goods and services. Apart from that it can also be seen in the quality of family and neighborhoods life, occupation, job satisfaction, and access to credit.

Jackie Robinson & Social Inequalities Jackie Robins experienced social inequalities on numerous occasions. When traveling with his teammates, he was not allowed to eat in the same restaurants, sleep in the same hotels, nor could he use the same water fountains and restrooms as his teammates. Despite his begin the best player on the team, many could not see past his skin color to allow him equal rights.

Leon’s Story & Social Inequalities Leon was experienced social inequalities because he and his family were unable to vote but the white people in his community could. His father had to work on the land of another white man as a sharecropper. He did the same amount of work as others and earned less wages.

America and Social Inequalities During the 1900’s in America social inequalities did not only consists of minorities and other races, but also amongst women and men. Women were expected to play the domestic role in society. They were denied many of the same rights as minorities such as: voting, work opportunities, and a voice in the community. It was not until 1919 that women were granted the right to vote . Although, the Fifteenth Amendment to the United States Constitution , created in 1870, prohibits the federal and state governments from denying a citizen the right to vote based on that citizen's "race, color, or previous condition of servitude, Many African Americans faced trials and tribulations such as poll taxes and literacy test to exercise their right to vote well into the 1900’s.

Although two very different men physically, both Leon and Jackie were one in the same when it came to the lifestyle in which they endured during the 1900’s. The End!!!!