African American Treatment in the 1900’s to of Mice and Men

In the 1930’s African Americans were treated poorly due to their race and color. They did not have any human rights. Also they were killed and harassed on a daily basis by the Ku Klux Klan. There was segregation on the bus and between bathrooms, restaurants, and drinking fountains. “ There so-called Black Codes dictated the behavior of blacks. Free blacks could not express any kind of … social view point” says the article titled African Americans on Grolier.com (“African Americans”).

In the book Of Mice and Men by John Steinbeck Crooks was not treated well on the job. He was beaten, neglected, and abused by the boss. Also, he was forced to sleep in a tiny room outside the barn away from everyone else. Plus not only was he physically abused but he was verbally abused as well. “Crooks bunk was a long box filled with straw, on which his blankets where flung” (“ pg.66”).

The book Of Mice and Men shows the treatment of African Americans in the 1930’s through how Crooks the farm hand is treated by almost everyone else. He was beaten just like what the Ku Klux Klan did to most of the African Americans in the 1930’s. Also he was forced to live away from everyone just like segregation in the 1930’s.

Overall, the book Of Mice and Men by John Steinbeck portrays the treatment of African Americans in the 1930’s.

Rodriguez 2

Works Cited

Steinbeck, John. Of Mice and Men . NY: Penguin Group, 1937.

Adams, Russell L. “African Americans.” The New Book of Knowledge® . 2008. Grolier Online. 20 Nov. 2008 .