
I truly cannot imagine what black Americans endured in the 19th and 20th centuries in America. Racism was born in the late-1800s as a means of creating unity, which seems terribly backwards. By castigating people based on their skin color, religion, or ethnic background, members of a certain population became unified as the supreme race. This certainly led to the circumstances in which African-Americans found themselves--circumstances that were absolutely despicable.
After reading this story, I am more aware of what "segregation" actually meant. It was not only a means of making white people use one drinking fountain and while blacks used another one; it was, without a doubt, a death to people of color. This story is not appropriate for young children, even though the book is relatively small. I would recommend this for eighth graders and older, simply because of some gruesome details. I will never forget old Leon, and I will never forget his courage in the face of one of America's darkest hours.
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