Mark Twain: RacismBy Olivia O’Connor

Samuel Clemens Father owned slaves (GPB+W) Born in Missouri (GPB+W) Fought as a Confederate (GPB+W) Father’s jury duty (Race)

Samuel Clemens (Con.) “…I had no aversion to slavery. I was

not aware there was anything wrong about it…” Mark Twain about Slavery from Autobiography (Race)

Society designed to dehumanize slaves for profits and to keep the southern economy alive.

Samuel Clemens Dangerous atmosphere (Race) “It would not be possible for a

humane and intelligent person to invent a rational excuse for slavery.” ‘My First Lie and How I Got Out of It, 1899’ (Race)

Changes Brother, Orion, was an abolitionist.

(Race) Married into a family with a history of

abolitionism. (Imagining Slavery) L.A.—Treatment of the Chinese

population (GPB+W)

Charity African American Churches –money

+ orating (Race) Tuskgee Institute (Race) NAACP (Race) Walter T. McGuinn through Yale Law

(Race)

Writings “A True Story, Repeated Word for

Word as I Heard It”(1874) –An ex-slave, Aunt Rachel, talks about being a slave. (IS)

“Old Times on the Mississippi” (1875) –A nostalgic piece on Twain’s apprenticeship on a steamboat. (IS)

Writings (Con.) “The Adventures of Tom Sawyer”—

Introduces Jim and Huck, doesn’t mention slavery much.

Huck Finn (1885)–Huck believes slavery is right, while befriending Jim. (IS)

Writings (Con.)“Pudd’nhead Wilson” (~1895) –A slave

mother exchanges her son with her master’s baby. (IS) Nature not Nurture. (GPB+W)

“Those Extraordinary Twins” –Like Tom Sawyer, ignores slavery.

Writings (Con) “A Connecticut Yankee in King

Arthur's Court” (1882): 6th century England, a look a slavery in an abolitionist mindset. (IS)

“Disgraceful Persecution of a Boy.”: Discusses how a child could grow up in San Francisco to hate and try to kill a Chinese person. (GPB+W)

Writings (Con.) “A Trial”: Justification for the civil war.

(GPB+W) “The Privet History of a Campaign

that Failed”: An autobiography, no member of his militia could find a reason for fighting. (GPB+W)

Writings (Con.)jjj “Sophisticated literary attack on

racism.” (GPB+W) Wrote satires as a way to draw public

eye on the problem. (Race) “Publicly” denounced slavery. (Race)

“Was Twain a racist? Asking the Question seem in the 21st century is as sensible as asking the same of Lincoln.” (GPB+W)

Lincoln believed the black man was lesser, fought a war anyway. (GPB+W)

Twain wrote books that “riled up a nation over racial injustice.” (GPB+W)

Work’s CitedArticles/Information: PhD, Camfield, Gregg. "Mark Twain's Mississippi: Race." Illinois Historical Digitization Projects: Northern Illinois University

Libraries. University of California, Merced. Web. 06 Apr. 2011. <http://dig.lib.niu.edu/twain/racepr.html>. Twain,, Mark. "Illustrating "Slavery" in MT's Books." University of Virginia Library. Web. 06 Apr. 2011.

<http://etext.lib.virginia.edu/railton/wilson/slavery/mtslavhp.html>. Carter, Stephen L. "Getting Past Black and White." Time. CNN, 3 July 2008. Web. 6 Apr. 2011.

<http:www.time.com/time/printout/0,8816,1820162,00.html>.

Pictures: "Mark Twain Biography - Mark Twain Childhood, Life & Timeline." Famous People - Famous People in History, Famous

People List & Biography. Web. 06 Apr. 2011. <http://www.thefamouspeople.com/profiles/mark-twain-64.php>. Twain,, Mark. "Illustrating "Slavery" in MT's Books." University of Virginia Library. Web. 06 Apr. 2011.

<http://etext.lib.virginia.edu/railton/wilson/slavery/mtslavhp.html>. "Samuel Clemens - Discussion and Encyclopedia Article. Who Is Samuel Clemens? What Is Samuel Clemens? Where Is

Samuel Clemens? Definition of Samuel Clemens. Meaning of Samuel Clemens." Welcome to Knowledgerush. Web. 07 Apr. 2011. <http://www.knowledgerush.com/kr/encyclopedia/Samuel_Clemens/>.