The Invention of Gas Masks

Blogger: Amber Lemus

Garrett A. Morgan
Public Domain

In April, we learned about a man who helped invent the stoplights that we know today. ( You can read that post here.) His name is Garrett A. Morgan, and we are revisiting this amazing inventor today because another of his inventions bears a story worth telling.

Our story begins in Cleveland during the post civil-war era. The industrial boom led to pollution of the Cuyahoga River, which had been the city's primary source of drinking water. In response to the issue of tainted water, the city began construction of water tunnels that would draw water from old riverbeds further away, where hopefully the water was untainted. The city ended up constructing multiple tunnels, each one longer, and larger in diameter than the last. The construction on the fourth tunnel began in March of 1914.

Tunnel construction was dangerous business. While building the third tunnel, more than thirty three workers had lost their lives in four separate accidents. The fourth tunnel, however, started off great. Initially, safety standards were lauded, and two years passed without major incident. However, on the evening of July 24, 1916, a foreman led his crew of eight men down into crib number five. A natural gas leak somehow ignited, causing a massive explosion and trapping the crew hundreds of feet below the surface, buried in debris and mud.

Rescue crews were formed and sent down, but that didn't go well. The first two attempts ended with 10 additional deaths due to the inhalation of gas inside the tunnel. Several additional efforts were made, but they were only able to rescue one of two members of the second rescue team that had fallen unconscious in the tunnel.

Garrett Morgan demonstrates his invention.
Source: Cleveland State University, Michael Schwartz Library, Special Collections

Someone remembered Garrett Morgan, an inventor and entrepreneur there in Cleveland, who had designed a device he called a safety hood and smoke protector. They called for Garrett, and he and his brother Frank bravely volunteered to go down in the tunnel, equipped with his invention which later became known as the gas mask. Garrett, his brother, and their crew were able to rescue two men, and recover four bodies. However, they were prevented from further rescue missions because the US Bureau of Mines put a stop to the efforts.

Eventually, all the bodies were recovered, but it was a tragedy that overshadowed the city of Cleveland for decades. Investigations were launched, with fingers pointing in every direction. When fault was directed at city officials, suddenly the investigations came to a halt, and it was concluded that it was no one's fault, but every man did what they thought was best. 

Public Domain

Garrett had personally made four trips into the tunnel, which affected his health for years to come, despite the use of the mask. Garrett's mask design was simple; a cotton hood with two hoses that hung down to the floor. Moist sponges would then filter the less-toxic air closer to the ground. It did not, however, filter out all of the fumes.

Despite Morgan's essential role in the rescue, Harry L. Davis, who was the mayor at the time, failed to put his name, or his brother's, on the list of men recognized as heroes. Many of the men who participated in the rescue efforts received the Carnegie medal for their bravery, but he and his brother were excluded from that honor by city officials. Garrett believed his race was the reason for this, which was confirmed by Victor M. Sincere of the Bailey Company in his statement to the committee.

"Your deed should serve to help break down the shafts of prejudice with which you struggle. And is sure to be the beacon of light for those that follow you in the battles of life."
-Victor M. Sincere in a statement to the Citizens Award Committee.

 

 Later on, in 1917, citizens of Cleveland awarded Garrett a diamond-studded gold medal in an effort to correct this omission. 

The one good thing that came out of the incident was the publicity for Morgan's gas mask. His company received orders from all over the country for the hoods. However, the national news that covered the story included a photo of Garrett. When the officials in a number of southern cities saw his photo, they cancelled their orders. Nevertheless, Garrett Morgan went on to become a successful entrepreneur and an advocate of civil rights. Many have recognized and honored him and his accomplishments by placing his name on schools, and granting awards and honorary memberships. He was inducted into the Inventor's Hall of Fame in 2005.


As for his life-saving invention, gas masks were further developed to be much safer. They now have the ability to protect the wearer for many types of toxins, including pesticides, fumes from paint or other materials, and even chemical weapons. To try to number the lives saved by this apparatus (derivatives were used in both World Wars) would be impossible.

*****

Two-time winner of the Christian Indie Award for historical fiction, Amber Lemus inspires hearts through enthralling tales She has a passion for travel, history, books and her Savior. This combination results in what her readers call "historical fiction at its finest".

She lives near the Ozarks in her "casita" with her prince charming. Between enjoying life as a boy mom, and spinning stories out of soap bubbles, Amber loves to connect with readers and hang out on Goodreads with other bookish peoples.

Amber is a proud member of the American Christian Fiction Writers Association. Visit her online at http://www.amberlemus.com/ and download a FREE story by subscribing to her Newsletter!

The Life of Lewis Latimer, American Inventor and Patent Draftsman

Blogger: Amber Lemus

While researching inventions, I came across a biography for an American inventor by the name of Lewis Latimer. His story is astounding, and he is almost never heard of, so I wanted to share his story with you all today.

Lewis' story really starts with his parents, Rebecca and George Latimer. The couple escaped slavery in Virginia by fleeing to Chelsea Massachusetts in 1842. Since George was the son of a white man and an enslaved African American mother, his skin was light, and he had many of the white features. His wife posed as a servant of his, and they escaped safely, but George's former owner put out a reward for his capture. When he and his wife reached Boston, he was immediately recognized by a colleague of his former slave owner. A few days later, he was arrested.

Lewis' Father, George Latimer
Public Domain

The news of his detention sparked a great conflict in the State of Massachusetts. Latimer was represented by Samuel Sewall, who organized meetings that came to be known as the "Latimer Meetings." According to some sources, Fredrick Douglass was also involved in George's defense. The trial ended with George purchasing his own freedom from his former owner for the price of four hundred dollars. However, the case led to fundraising, petitions, and even the 1843 Liberty Act which is sometimes called the "Latimer Law."

After that case was settled, George and Rebecca settled in Chelsea to raise their family. On September 4, 1848, Lewis was born, the youngest of four children. During his younger years, Lewis spent time in his father's barbershop. But the happiness was not to last.

When Lewis was 10 years old, his family had to be split up. With the ruling of the Dred Scott case, slaves who had escaped to freedom had to prove that they had the consent of their former owners to become free. Lewis's father had no such proof, so he fled, leaving his family behind and hoping that his absence would make the family less of a target. Lewis's mother decided it would be best to further split up the family, so she sent Lewis and his brothers to a farm school.

At the age of 16, Lewis joined the United States Navy, and served aboard the USS Massasoit during the Civil War. He received an honorable discharge on July 3, 1865 and gained employment as an office boy in a patent office. This is where he began to show his true potential.

Lewis Latimer
Public Domain

Lewis quickly learned how to use the tools of drafting and sketching, and his boss started noticing his talent. He was promoted to draftsman, and then head draftsman, his earnings increasing with each promotion. Lewis's creativity was sparked by drafting sketches of other's inventions, and he began to tinker with some of his own.

In 1873, Lewis wed Mary Wilson Lewis, but it would be ten years before they were blessed with children. They did end up having two daughters, Emma Jeanette in 1883, and Louise Rebecca in 1890.


In 1874, Lewis registered his first patent, along with his coworker Charles M. Brown. Together, they had developed a system for water closets in rail cars. A couple years after that, Lewis was hired by Alexander Graham Bell to draft the drawings that would be needed to register the patent for Bell's telephone.

In 1879, Lewis moved to Bridgeport, Connecticut and started working for a competitor of Thomas Edison, the US Electric Lighting Company owned by Hiram Maxim. It was here that he made his most well-known innovation. He was working on improving the filaments inside the light bulbs so they could last longer and be more cost-effective. Lewis successfully invented a modification to the filament process that made it more durable, and therefore more affordable to the public. These filaments were substantially safer than gas lamps, but also less harsh than some of the prior inventions such as arc lights. His invention transformed the average American home after nightfall.

Lewis was an incredibly intelligent man, who could speak and translate into German and French, and could teach workers how to create a light bulb from beginning to end, including the glass blowing formation of the bulb. He registered several patents during his lifetime, including a fore-runner to our modern day Air Conditioner.


After leaving the US Electric Lighting Company, Lewis went on to work with Thomas Edison, became a patent inspector, an expert witness, an author of several books, a teacher, and a member of the Board of Patent Control.

Despite many societal challenges, Lewis was able to become a successful inventor and was respected in his field. He was accepted into the Edison Pioneers, an exclusive group of 100 innovative minds, and he was the first person of color to attain that honor. He was also an early advocate of Civil Rights


Lewis Latimer passed away on December 11, 1928 at the age of 80, but his legacy remained. There is a museum in New York with his family's home dedicated to the inventor, the invention program at MIT is named after him, as well as several schools also being named in his memory. Finally, Lewis was inducted into the National Inventor's Hall of Fame in 2006. 

Light Bulb by Lewis Latimer
Daderot, CC0, via Wikimedia Commons

*****

 

 

Two-time winner of the Christian Indie Award for historical fiction, Amber Lemus inspires hearts through enthralling tales She has a passion for travel, history, books and her Savior. This combination results in what her readers call "historical fiction at its finest".

She lives near the Ozarks in her "casita" with her prince charming. Between enjoying life as a boy mom, and spinning stories out of soap bubbles, Amber loves to connect with readers and hang out on Goodreads with other bookish peoples.

Amber is a proud member of the American Christian Fiction Writers Association. Visit her online at http://www.amberlemus.com/ and download a FREE story by subscribing to her Newsletter!

 

Inventor Alexander Miles and the Automated Elevator Door

Blogger: Amber Lemus

Alexander Miles
Public Domain

Alexander Miles was an American inventor who was both born and passed away in the month of May, so I figured this would be a fitting month to learn about this incredible man.

Alexander was born May 18, 1838 to Michael Miles and Mary Pompy in Ohio. Since he was born in a free state, and was never recorded as enslaved, historians believe that he was a freeman.

After Alexander became of age, he moved to Wisconsin where he made a living as a barber. His innovative talents were already emerging as he created and marketed hair products. While in Wisconsin, he met Candace Dunlap, who was a widow with two children. Though she was four years older than him, they fell in love and married. Together they had one daughter whom they named Grace.

Shortly after the birth of their daughter, they moved to Duluth, Minnesota. Alexander and his wife decided to take a risk and invested their life savings into a real estate office. This proved to be a smart investment for them, and they lived in prosperity in Duluth, even getting a whole block named after them because of his real estate developments. He had also opened a barber shop at the upscale four-story Saint Louis hotel, and his business achievements paved the way for him to become the first African-American member of the Duluth Chamber of Commerce.


It was most likely at the aforementioned hotel that Alexander's innovative mind was exposed to the elevator problem. As the story goes, Alexander was riding in an elevator with his daughter when he realized the dangers of the current door operating system. At this time, the doors could only be operated by either the people inside the elevator, or a dedicated elevator operator. However, people often forgot, or didn't go through the hassle to manually close the doors, which created a danger of people falling into the elevator shaft. In the early days of elevators, it could be quite dangerous and usually resulted in serious injury or death. Alexander thought that if the elevator doors would open and close automatically when leaving and arriving at the various floors, it would create a safer environment. 

Diagram of Alexander Mile's invention

He set to work on a design and came up with a system that utilized a flexible belt attached to the elevator cage, drums to indicate the elevator's position, and various levers and rollers. He was granted a patent for his design on October 11, 1887. It's interesting, because thirteen years prior, an inventor was granted a patent on an automatic elevator door system, however his design never took hold. It was Alexander's design that was used and is even influential in our modern-day elevators. Needless to say, his invention earned a lot of income for him and his family.

Second diagram of his invention
Public Domain

In 1899, at the age of sixty-one, Alexander founded yet another business, The United Brotherhood. It was a life-insurance company specifically formed for African-American customers who were being turned down for coverage from white-owned firms.

By the time of his death on May 7, 1918, Alexander Miles was considered the wealthiest African-American in the Pacific Northwest area. He was inducted into the National Inventors Hall of Fame in 2007.

*****

Two-time winner of the Christian Indie Award for historical fiction, Amber Lemus inspires hearts through enthralling tales She has a passion for travel, history, books and her Savior. This combination results in what her readers call "historical fiction at its finest".

She lives near the Ozarks in her "casita" with her prince charming. Between enjoying life as a boy mom, and spinning stories out of soap bubbles, Amber loves to connect with readers and hang out on Goodreads with other bookish peoples.

Amber is a proud member of the American Christian Fiction Writers Association. Visit her online at http://www.amberlemus.com/ and download a FREE story by subscribing to her Newsletter!

The History of the Ironing Board

Blogger: Amber Lemus

Photo by CottonBro Studio

The ancient Asian method

If you’ve ever tried to iron something without an ironing board, then you know how difficult it can be. (Believe it or not, there is in fact a reason that irons have a warning that says DO NOT iron clothes while you are wearing them!") The ironing board seems to be a simple invention, but it makes an everyday chore far more efficient, and the history behind it is more interesting than you might think.

Ironing has been a chore usually done by ladies for centuries. Ancient Asian cultures would sometimes iron with the fabric held taught by two people. During the Viking era, archeologists have discovered what appear to be smoothing boards made from whale bone buried with Viking ladies. Later on, boards small enough to be held on the lap were most common. “Press boards” as they were known, were used not only for pressing laundry, but also for pressing seams during the sewing process.

 

Whalebone smoothing board from the Vikings.

As I’m sure many of you have witnessed, a table or board supported by two chairs can be used to accomplish the task, and was a popular method before the invention of the folding ironing board we know today. Eventually, folks figured it would be faster and better quality work if there was a device designed with a suitable shape for pressing things such as trousers and shirts. The first ironing table was patented in 1858 by W. Vandenburg and J. Harvey, and was designed mainly for men’s clothing.

A Canadian by the name of John B. Porter invented the first truly portable ironing table. It was a fold-able model with detachable press boards specifically for sleeves.

Sarah Boone
Public Domain

One notable improvement to the ironing board was invented by Sarah Boone in 1892. Sarah had been born to enslaved parents in North Carolina. At some point, she gained her freedom, perhaps through her marriage to a free African American man. They later migrated North, where Sarah began working in a dressmaker shop, and her husband worked as a bricklayer. Sarah’s work in the fiercely competitive dress market is what spurred her adjustments to the ironing board. Her design catered to women’s garments, rather than just men’s, with a narrower, curved board that could handle the type of skirts and dresses that were in style at the time. It was reversible, so that both sides of the sleeve could be ironed without wrinkling the first side. Her model was also padded to prevent the lines and creases that inevitably came when using just a wooden board. She even made it collapsible for easy storage. Sarah is credited as the second African American woman to receive a patent from the U.S. Patent office. 

 

Drawing from Sarah Boone's Patent

The next notable improvement was the material. Many manufacturers tried wood and metal, but the metal tended to rust or even buckle under the intense heat of a hot iron press. The wooden boards would warp. It was the J.R. Clark company who began manufacturing ironing boards out of a mesh metal top, which allowed the steam to escape, preventing warps, rust and buckling. By 1940, pretty much all of the manufacturers were using all metal to make the collapsible ironing boards. The designs changed very little after that. 

Now if they would only invent a way to keep it from screaming like a mountain lion every time it opens...

*****

 

Two-time winner of the Christian Indie Award for historical fiction, Amber Lemus inspires hearts through enthralling tales She has a passion for travel, history, books and her Savior. This combination results in what her readers call "historical fiction at its finest".

She lives near the Ozarks in her "casita" with her prince charming. Between enjoying life as a boy mom, and spinning stories out of soap bubbles, Amber loves to connect with readers and hang out on Goodreads with other bookish peoples.

Amber is a proud member of the American Christian Fiction Writers Association. Visit her online at http://www.amberlemus.com/ and download a FREE story by subscribing to her Newsletter!

The Fisk Jubilee Singers

by Kiersti Giron

The Fisk Jubilee Singers in 1882. By Prints & Photographs Department, MSRC - Deep Roots Magazine, Public Domain, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=29810516

Have you heard the songs “Swing Low, Sweet Chariot” or “Were You There When They Crucified My Lord” or “Let Us Break Bread Together on Our Knees”? Most Americans have, whatever our ethnic or faith background. These songs are all traditional African-American “spirituals,” but many white people didn't used to consider them a valid musical genre at all, and in fact this music was almost completely unknown outside of the former slave community. We know these beautiful songs today in large part thanks to a remarkable group of young people known as the Fisk Jubilee Singers.

In 1865, just after the end of the American Civil War, millions of recently freed slaves had been thrust into a new life—but not an easy one. They were desperately hungry for education, as even reading and writing had so long been denied them, and flocked to the new schools set up for the “freedmen.” One such school was Fisk School in Nashville, Tennessee, first held in an abandoned Union Army camp and incorporated in 1867 as Fisk University, still an important institution today. The school opened its doors in January, 1866, and in its first year the average DAILY attendance numbered about one thousand students! The 1880 book The Story of the Jubilee Singers recalls how grandfathers studied side by side with their grandchildren, and elderly women sometimes mastered the alphabet in less than a week. Before long, however, other elementary schools opened and allowed Fisk University to focus more on its original goal, emphasizing higher education.

Jubilee Hall at Fisk University, built by funds raised by the original Jubilee Singers.
By Editor - Lawson Andrew Scruggs - https://en.wikisource.org/wiki/Page:Women_of_distinction.djvu/186, Public Domain

By 1871, though, the school was in dire financial straits, in danger of closing its doors. Recently enslaved families struggled to pay the tuition for their children, and all freedmen’s schools faced immense prejudice and opposition in the South. At one point, the students and faculty actually dug up handcuffs and chains from a former slave pen and sold them as scrap iron to raise money for the school.

But George L. White, the school’s treasurer and music professor, had an idea. He had been blown away by the quality of his students’ formerly untrained voices and loved helping them refine their musical abilities. Though they worked together on such choral numbers as the cantata Esther, White had been deeply touched by the “cabin songs” the students had grown up singing, songs formerly unknown outside of slave communities and cotton fields. White decided these young people's voices—and their music—needed to be shared with the world. And perhaps, even held the key to saving the school.
 

The original nine Jubilee Singers, 1871. By Black, James Wallace, 1825-1896, photographer;
American Missionary Association. - Library of CongressCatalog: Public Domain.

Taking with them the entire contents of the Fisk treasury, on October 6, 1871, nine young men and women—all students at Fisk, several still in their teens, and all but two former slaves—set off with Mr. White and the ambitious goal of raising $20,000 for their school. The students numbered four young men and five young women: Minnie Tate, Greene Evans, Isaac Dickerson, Jennie Jackson, Maggie Porter, Ella Sheppard, Thomas Rutling, Benjamin Holmes, and Eliza Walker. At first, the singers often met with prejudice and outright hostility, as hotels frequently refused to let them stay because of their color. Even when welcomed, collections at their performances remained meager. They raised about $50 at a concert in Cincinnati, but that same weekend occurred the devastation of the great Chicago Fire. The singers decided to donate the entire proceeds of their first true paid concert to the relief efforts for fire victims.

Through prejudice and hardship, usually depending on the slim proceeds from one concert to fund their food and lodging for the next day, this little vocal group persevered. When they reached Columbus, Ohio, the singers were physically and emotionally drained. In hopes of lifting everyone’s spirits, Mr. White decided to name them the Jubilee Singers, taken from the year of Jubilee and freedom in the book of Leviticus. 

Ella Shepherd, Pianist and Assistant Director of the original Jubilee Singers.
By Unknown - Fisk University Library, Special Collections, Public Domain,
https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=68331306

Gradually, that promise of hope began to be fulfilled. When the Jubilee Singers performed for the congregation of Henry Ward Beecher (brother of Harriet Beecher Stowe), he urged his wealthy parishioners to dig deep and give generously, and they did so. A corner had been turned, and concerts of the Jubilee Singers began to sell out. Prejudices gradually lowered, as audiences’ hearts were won both by the beautiful voices of the students and the uniquely moving power of their songs. Soon they were able to pay their way and start sending money back to Fisk. As the popularity of their music rose, they even sold sheet music for their songs at the concerts. In 1872, the Jubilee Singers sang at the White House at the invitation of President Grant, and in 1873, they embarked on a European tour, performing for royalty and raising enough funds to build Jubilee Hall, the first permanent building at Fisk University. During this tour, the singers sang for Queen Victoria, who commissioned a large portrait of the group that still hangs in Jubilee Hall.

Sheet Music for "Come, Let Us All Go Down," By Jubilee Singers
(Emory University, Robert W. Woodruff Library) - The story of the Jubilee Singers
 with their songs, published 1880. Available on Internet Archive, Public Domain

While the exhausted group disbanded in 1878, in 1879 a new version of the Jubilee Singers re-formed, and this remarkable choral ensemble still continues on today. The Jubilee Singers retains its original focus on traditional African American spirituals and acapella music and continues to perform and receive acclaim around the world. But each year, on October 6, “Jubilee Day”—the anniversary of that first little group of musical students setting off on their tour by faith—the present-day Jubilee Singers make a pilgrimage to the burial sites of the original singers and sing the old songs in honor of those faithful nine.

2012 - 2013 Fisk Jubilee Singers Ensemble, By Bill Steber
- Photosubmissions 2013111910012728, CC BY-SA 3.0,
https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=30155292

Have you ever heard of the Fisk Jubilee Singers? What touched or surprised you most about their story? Please comment and share! 






Kiersti Giron holds a life-long passion for history and historical fiction. She loves to write stories that show the intersection of past and present, explore relationships that bridge cultural divides, and probe the healing Jesus can bring out of brokenness. Kiersti has been published in several magazine and won the 2013 and 2018 Genesis Awards – Historical for her novels Beneath a Turquoise Sky and Fire in My Heart. An English teacher and member of American Christian Fiction Writers, Kiersti loves learning and growing with other writers penning God's story into theirs, as well as connecting with readers at www.kierstigiron.com. She lives in California with her husband, Anthony, their two kitties, and their baby boy.

Harper Lee and To Kill a Mockingbird: Behind the Classic Story

by Kiersti Giron

Right now I’m diving into the beloved American novel To Kill a Mockingbird with my high school American Lit class. While often taught in 9^th grade or even to middle schoolers, I like digging into this book with 11^th and 12^th graders. Though the basic story and language level make it an easier read for older students, I find the story’s complex characters and themes better suited to their more mature minds.

So today, I thought it would be neat to delve into some of the novel’s historical and authorial background. I hope you enjoy coming along for the ride!

Harper Lee when she received the Presidential Medal of Freedom from President George W. Bush in 2007. White House photo by Eric Draper - Transferred from en.wikipedia to Commons., https://georgewbush-whitehouse.archives.gov/news/releases/2007/11/images/20071105-1_d-0243-3-515h.html, Public Domain

Harper Lee’s Life

First of all, who was Harper Lee, this mysterious, somewhat reclusive author who won a Pulitzer for her first novel and then never published another till 2015, the year before she died?

1960 title page of To Kill a Mockingbird, by Harper Lee
Booktitle, Public Domain, Wikimedia Commons

She was born Nelle Harper Lee in 1926 but chose to drop the “Nelle” for her writing name. Lee grew up in the small Alabama town of Monroeville, a place not unlike the Maycomb of To Kill a Mockingbird, and while she denied basing the story on her own life, her father, like Atticus Finch, was a lawyer.

Harper Lee never married and spent much of her life living with her sister, Alice, moving between Monroeville and New York City. She loved British magazines and college football, and despite earning astoundingly high royalties from To Kill a Mockingbird throughout her life, she lived frugally, shunning computers and cell phones and doing laundry at a laundromat.

Lee was a painstaking writer, often spending six to twelve hours a day at her typewriter while composing Mockingbird and only producing one page of text. Her first version of the manuscript was rejected by her editor, though it would be released as the controversial Go Set a Watchman only a few years ago. However, the editor saw some promise in the manuscript and urged her to write the childhood story hinted there—and thus became To Kill a Mockingbird.

Real life Inspiration for Tom Robinson’s Trial

While To Kill a Mockingbird is fictional, as with many of the best stories much of what happens is inspired by real life, especially Tom Robinson’s extremely prejudiced trial. For one thing, as a child Lee witnessed her lawyer father defend a black father and son accused of murder—and lose, leading to the men’s execution. Her father never took another criminal case.

Historical Marker honoring the Scottsboro Boys, by Brian Stansberry (photographer) -
Own work, CC BY 4.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=60294404

Perhaps even more closely related, the “Scottsboro Boys Trials” happened in Alabama in the 1930s, when Lee was still a little girl. Nine black boys were accused of raping two white girls after a group of white boys started a fight with them. Some of the accused boys were as young as twelve, and the girls’ testimony gradually became obviously unreliable, with one completely abandoning her earlier claim. However, the racially-biased jury still convicted most of the boys and sentenced seven of them to death, though through a lengthy process of appeals most were eventually either pardoned or escaped. Today Scottsboro, Alabama, holds a museum and cultural center dedicated to these boys.

Atticus and Tom Robinson in court, scene from the 1960 film.
By Moni3 - Transfered from en:Image 14 February 2008, Public Domain
https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=3560213

Witnessing these highly biased trials under all-white juries must have provided Harper Lee with fodder for the famous courtroom scene in To Kill a Mockingbird, when, despite Atticus Finch proving Tom Robinson literally could not have committed the crime, the jury still convicts him as guilty.

Current Controversies

Perhaps it isn’t surprising that a book written in the 1960s from a child’s perspective and yet about racism and rape should raise some objections. To Kill a Mockingbird has been banned in schools at times, though at present it is still required reading in most. While I have come to love the story, I am bothered by certain aspects of it, both the common use of the “n-word” (though Atticus always disapproves) and how, in general, casual racism is endemic in the little town and even the narrator’s perspective: the black characters aren’t given much voice, and Atticus insists that his highly-prejudiced neighbors are still good people and entitled to their opinions. Controversy escalated when Go Set a Watchman was published in 2015, as this novel featuring an adult Scout showed Atticus as a set-in-his-ways white conservative who strongly opposed integration and the Civil Rights movement. (Whether Lee actually wanted this manuscript published is a whole other story and hard to discern, since she was so near the end of her life at the time.)

Old Monroe County Courthouse, inspiration for the courtroom scene in To Kill a Mockingbird.
By Redditaddict69 - Own work, CC BY-SA 4.0,
https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=71334829

With all its flaws and foibles, however, I think To Kill a Mockingbird is still worth reading—ideally alongside other, African-American voices, both past and present, to present a fuller picture of this time in our country’s history. I love the unique perspective of a child, in all her willfulness and innocence, in viewing the harsh realities of her beloved Southern town; the beauty of language and character development in the way the story weaves together; the example of Atticus, imperfect as he is, holding staunchly to what he believes is right, regardless of cost; and even, for the time and place, the sensitivity with which Lee does portray her black characters, especially when Jem and Scout visit Calpurnia’s church and get a glimpse into her world beyond being their hired help. It’s a story that tends to tenderize my heart and make me think more deeply, and I hope that will be true for my students too as we read it together this spring and dig into this story together.

So, did you grow up loving To Kill a Mockingbird? Do you think it should still be required reading in schools? What aspects of its background do you find most interesting or surprising? Please comment and share!

Kiersti Giron holds a life-long passion for history and historical fiction. She loves to write stories that show the intersection of past and present, explore relationships that bridge cultural divides, and probe the healing Jesus can bring out of brokenness. Kiersti has been published in several magazine and won 2013 and 2018 Genesis Awards – Historical for her novels Beneath a Turquoise Sky and Fire in My Heart. An English teacher and member of American Christian Fiction Writers, Kiersti loves learning and growing with other writers penning God's story into theirs, as well as blogging at www.kierstigiron.com. She lives in California with her beloved husband, Anthony, and their two kitties.