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real murderer in order that “the prestige of the white race in Wellington was not seriously impaired” Chesnutt, 2002: 187. For Carteret, maintaining the prestige of
white race is very important to succeed the campaign of white supremacy Chesnutt, 2002: 183. From the quotations, it can be interpreted that white people do not reveal
that Tom is the real murderer. It shows the practice of racism because they always lynch a black person who is suspected to be a murderer but they do not punish a
murderer who is white just because they want to maintain their race prestige. After Sandy has been found innocent, the newspapers all over the United
States of America do not report the facts of the case. Instead, they report “another dastardly outrage by a burly black brute” and “the impending lynching with its
prospective horrors” Chesnutt, 2002: 187. That the newspapers all over the United States of America do not report the facts of Sandy’s case reveals the practice of
racism. It is because previously, all the newspapers reported that Sandy would be lynched but when it is revealed that Sandy is innocent, they do not report it. It means
that instead to be impartial, the newspapers support the white supremacy.
2. Racism Experienced by Josh Green
Josh Green asks Dr. Miller whether or not he remembers the Ku Klux Klan. Then Josh tells Dr. Miller about his experience of practice of racism:
One night a crowd er w’ite men come ter ou’ house an’ tuck my daddy out an’ shot ’im ter death, an’ skeered my mammy so she ain’ be’n herse’f f’m dat
day ter dis. I wa’n’t mo’ ’n ten years ole at de time, an’ w’en my mammy seed de w’te men comin’, she tol’ me ter run. I hid in de bushes an’ seen de whole
thing… Chesnutt, 2002: 113.
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The quotation shows that when Josh was ten years old, the Ku Klux Klan killed his father and his mother became crazy because of that. The killing of Josh’s father by
Ku Klux Klan shows the practice of racism. When the riot is happening, Josh tells Dr. Miller what the Whites do to the
Blacks: “De w’ite folks are killin’ de niggers…” Chesnutt, 2002: 217. Therefore, white people do the practice of racism by killing the black people.
In the riot, Josh and his group who are protecting the property of the Blacks, are warned by Captain McBane, a leader of the crowd of white men. Captain McBane
says that if Josh and his group surrender and give up their arms, the white men will let them alive, and if they resist, they will be shot like dogs Chesnutt, 2002: 229-
230. Josh replies: Dat ’s no news, Mr. White Man. We ’re use’ ter bein’ treated like dogs by men
like you. If you w’ite people will go ’long an’ ten’ ter yo’ own business an’ let us alone, we ’ll ten’ ter ou’n. You ’ve got guns, an’ we ’ve got jest as much
right ter carry ’em as you have. Lay down yo’n, an’ we ’ll lay down ou’n,— we did n’ take ’em up fust; but we ain’ gwine ter let you bu’n down ou’
chu’ches an’ school’ouses, er dis hospittle, an’ we ain’ comin’ out er dis house, where we ain’ disturbin’ nobody, fer you ter shoot us down er sen’ us
ter jail. You hear me” Chesnutt, 2002: 230.
The quotation tells that Josh refuses to give up and that he and his group do not disturb anybody but they are just protecting the Blacks’ property such as churches,
schools, and hospitals. Hearing that, McBane responds: “All right. You ’ve had fair warning. Your blood be on your” — Chesnutt, 2002: 230. McBane’s speech “was
interrupted by a shot from the crowd, which splintered the window-casing close to Josh’s head” Chesnutt, 2002: 230. The quotations reveal that Josh’s group is shot by
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white men although Josh has told them that his group does not disturb anybody. It shows the practice of racism because the white men attack the black men who do not
disturb anybody. When Josh’s group is in the hospital to protect the building, the white men led
by Captain McBane burn the hospital down: Some brought hay, some kerosene, and others wood from a pile which had
been thrown into a vacant lot nearby. Several safe ways of approach to the building were discovered and the combustibles placed and fired. The flames,
soon gaining a foothold, leaped upward, catching here and there at the exposed wood work, and licking the walls hungrily with long tongues of
flame Chesnutt, 2002: 232.
The quotation shows that the white men burn down the hospital where Josh’s group is in. It reveals the practice of racism because by burning down the hospital, the white
men may kill the black men who are inside the building.
3. Racism Experienced by Jerry Letlow
