A Walk Through the Great Depression in Mississippi

Introduction

Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry by Mildred Taylor is a story about an African American family living in rural Mississippi in 1933 during the Great Depression. In this work of historical fiction, the Logan family deals with issues such as racism, social inequality, and injustice as they strive to realize their dream of owning and farming their own land.

At a time when memories of slavery remain in the South, owning land represented independence for African Americans. After the Civil War and Reconstruction, various laws were passed. These laws gave former slaves the rights of full citizenship: they could vote, participate in the political process, have land, look for their own jobs, and use public facilities. However, new laws and social practices designed to keep down these rights soon came into place. Legalized racial segregation and discrimination continued in the South until after the Civil Rights Moment began in the 1950's.