The Help (linked to Jennifer’s review on 5 Minutes for Books) brought to light issues of class and race in Mississippi during the time of Jim Crow.  Segregation was a very real part of recent history in the South, and as someone born and raised in the North, it still shocks me how black Americans were treated not so long ago.  The Secret of Magic brings together the idealism of blacks in the North with Southern traditions and segregation.
Joe Howard Wilson has just returned from fighting in Italy, a decorated soldier who lost his best friend in World War II. The bus he is riding to his home in Revere, Mississippi is boarded by a man who demands that the blacks give up their seats for German POWs. Â Furious at this treatment at the behest of the enemy, Joe Howard refuses to leave the bus, and ends up dead for his troubles.
Regina Robichard is a young black lawyer working her dream job for Thurgood Marshall at the Negro Defense Fund in New York City. She intercepts a letter meant for Marshall, written by one M.P. Calhoun, requesting an investigation into Joe Howard’s death on behalf of Joe Howard’s father, Willie Willie. Ms. Calhoun is the famous reclusive author of a children’s book, also called The Secret of Magic, a book that Regina loved as a child, so Regina convinces Marshall to let her spend two weeks in Revere to see if she can bring justice to Joe Howard’s family.
Regina is not surprised that she has to move to the rear of the train or use separate restrooms, but she does not expect the separation between whites and blacks to be as large as it is. Â She’s also surprised that most of the residents of Revere not only know what happened to Joe Howard, they accept it as part of the way of life. Â Regina’s attempts to obtain information are blocked from many directions but she doesn’t give up. Â The racism she encounters also dredge up issues from her own past, but the strong values instilled by her mother enable her to work through her own personal issues while continuing to seek justice for Joe Howard.
The Secret of Magic novel is a stark reminder of how far we’ve come, yet we still have a lot of ground to cover before race relations are no longer an issue. Â
This novel is a good tie-in to Black History Month and an important read for everyone.
Win it!
Enter to win the giveaway below by following the instructions in the widget below, starting off by leaving a comment telling me your most memorable book or movie experience in regards to Black History.
The Help, very good.
To Kill a Mockingbird
I entered the Pioneer Girl book giveaway.
My wife liked The Help
The Widow From The South.
A Long Walk to Freedom by Nelson Mandela.
I also like The Help
I entered your Hungry Caterpillar giveaway!
I still haven’t read or seen the Help, but I hear it’s great. I really liked Driving Miss Daisy…would that count?
I would say The Help
i entered the hungry, hungry catapiller book giveaway.
To kill a mockingbird.
The Help is the most recent movie dealing with race relations that I have watched.
Entered on grace
The Help was amazing.
The Help was really fantastic.
To kill a mockingbird
A movie that was so powerful it will forever be one I think about in regards to race relations is Roots. I loved it!
John Waters’ Hairspray!
Ghosts of Mississippi
Roots. WOW every one should watch that one.
Secret Life of Bees
The novel “Power of One”
The Green Mile
the blind side!
The Help was a great book
i asboolutely loved the blind side!
The Color Purple
My pick would be Glory but Sounder is a great eye opener also.
the miniseries Roots
to kill a mockingbird
The movie Guess Who’s COming to Dinner is a movie I will never forget!
I believe the butler
The Help and the color purple
I would say Color Purple and Hotel Rwanda
I think for me it was Lillies of the Field with Sidney Poiter.
The help was a great movie!
mandela
nannypanpan@gmail.com
I’d have to say the movie The Color Purple.
The mini series Roots was well done and definitely a subject of race.
The Help and To Kill a Mockingbird
The Help! The movie was good, but the book is way better!
I LOVED The Help (we saw the movie). It was soooo good! Another book I’ve enjoyed is Passing By Samaria which talks about the race riots in Chicago. And All the Way Home talks about the internment of Japanese citizens in America during WW2 – another good read. 🙂
One movie that was eye opening was The Help!
Glory is the movie I can remember regarding race relations.
The Help. But, I think I learned more by living during that time.
To Kill a Mockingbird
Pink and Say by Patricia Polacco
I would say Lean on Me with Morgan Freeman.
The Help or maybe The Color Purple
The help. Definitely an eye opener.
I really enjoyed The Help. My son’s class has been reading Addie The American Girl & he is really enjoying that book.
I’d say the book The Help.
Definitely The Help
recently watched the butler
I think that would have to be The Help, it was really a great read. Thank you.
The Widow From The South.
IN THE HEAT OF THE NIGHT, starring Sidney Poitier and Rod Steiger.
The Help an eye opener!
The Help – and The Butler. Both were eye opening for me!
The Round House by Louise Erdrich