The Help

1.- I think that the phrase "separated but equeal" is refered in how the african american were treated. It means they had buses, bathrooms, etc, but separated from the white people, so they had the same things (in a way, african americans were in fact treated very poorly), but they didn`t used mixed, one for white people and one for africa american people.

2.- After the civl war most states in the South passed anti-African American legislation. These became known as Jim Crow laws. This included laws that discriminated against African Americans with concern to attendance in public schools and the use of facilities such as restaurants, theaters, hotels, cinemas and public baths. Trains and buses were also segregated and in many states marriage between whites and African American people.

Jim Crow laws were tested in 1896 by Homer Plessey when convicted in Louisiana for riding in a white only railway car. Plessey took his case to the supreme court but the justices voted in favour of the Louisiana Court. William B. Brow established the legality of segregation as long as facilities were kept "separate but equal". Only one of the justices, John Harlan, disagreed with this decision. It was reflected in The Help between the cnditions of african american workers. The were forced to use different bathrooms and buses, they were treated in a bad way, they were easily to believe they were stealing, etc.

3.-"The maids in The Help took a risk by telling their stories. Even though they knew they could be shot to death in their front yards, they went ahead with the project. If people are not willing to take risks...they can`t hope to win and change the ways the live or the ways how things happen."