The Help- Historical Context

Inspired by:

*Segregation and Intimidation

*Martin Luther King and the Civil Rights Movement

*Jim Crow Laws

Origin of the term "The Help"

early 1960's: Maids and caretakers of white families were referred to as "the help"

Segregation and Intimidation

Blacks not permitted to use same facilities as whites:

-Churches

-Schools

-Supermarkets

-Bathrooms

Most wealthy white families had black community serve as their personal maids

Segregation and Intimidation

Segregation and Intimidation

Black vs. White "Separate but Equal"

White society members and even political figures used intimidation to keep blacks from fighting for their rights:

-lynching/shooting when protesting

-Intimidation was fairly successful- black maids wanted to share their experiences but they feared losing their jobs

*Lived on opposite sides of town

*Rarely interacted with each other besides employment

Background

Medgar Evers (character in The Help and real life Civil Rights Activist) was killed by a white man in 193 because he was a leader of the NAACP and played an active role in the Civil Rights Movement

*Most whites still saw themselves as the superior race and were generally satisfied with the restrictions that existed for blacks.

*NAACP: National Association for the Advancement of Colored People*

Segregation and Intimidation

Novel published in 2009

-Set in Jackson, Mississippi from August of 1962-1964

Point of View: First person through three main characters

*Aibileen: maid for Elizabeth Leefolt (protagonist)

*Minny: Mrs. Holbrook's former maid; now works for Celia Foote (protagonist)

*Skeeter Phelan: Aspiring writer; the help's voice (protagonist)

*Hilly Holbrook: extremely racist (antagonist)

*Black women often raised white children

in the South--

they had few options other

than to work as domestics

for white families

a. People who hire other people to work for them should maintain a profes sional distance from the worker.

b. Being a personal servant or maid is a respectable calling.

c. There are certain rules that people should learn and follow when dealing with people of a different social or economic class than their own.

d. People of different races are so different from each other that they should stick with their own kind socially.

e. Telling or writing stories can be a way of personal expression and freedom.

f. Telling or writing stories can be a way of changing society.

Domestic worker in Atlanta, Georgia

Martin Luther King Jr. and the Civil Rights Movement

Civil Rights Movement and MLK Jr.

-Aibileen's anti-discrimination story to Mae Mobley attempts to explain that everyone deserves to be treated fairly and not judged by the color of their skin

-This message was a major part of MLK Jr.'s platform for racial equality

Leading a peaceful protest in Jackson Mississippi

*Jim Crow Laws: limited freedoms of blacks through a set of rules and regulations

Civil Rights Movement + MLK Jr.

Aibileen tells Mae Mobley a "Secret" story in which she alludes to Martin Luther King. Jr, promoting equality of blacks and whites:

"One day, a wise Martian come down to Earth to teach us people a thing or two, 'I say.

" 'Martian? How big?'

" 'Oh, he about six-two.'

" 'What's his name?'

" 'Martian Luther King.'...

" 'He was a real nice Martian, Mister King. Looked just like us, nose, mouth, hair up on his head, but sometime people looked at him funny and sometime, well, I guess sometime people was just downright mean.'...

" 'Why Aibee? Why was they so mean to him?' she ask.

" 'Cause he was green' " (Stockett 349).

The Help- Historical Context