The Unfairness of Segregation

The federal courts ruled during the 1950s that “separate but equal” facilities and services were acceptable, but the courts reversed that decision years later, recognizing that separate is inherently unfair because it is never actually equal. While children like Raymond are subjected to this unfairness on a daily basis, many of the whites – including Sunny – are not even aware of this inequality until the events of the summer of 1964 bring the issues to the forefront.

Sunny is raised in an elite neighborhood, not because she is extremely wealthy but because the family is white. There are opportunities afforded to her because her family holds a place of prominence in the community, but she is also treated in specific ways simply because she is white. That attitude is seen as Laura Mae says that it is no longer acceptable for her to act in...