32 Even though the theory said that all people are capable of fulfilling self-
actualization, most people will not be able to do so, or only to a limited degree. Maslow as cited in McLeod, 2007 stated that only two percent of people in this
world would reach the stage of self-actualization. Then he identified fifteen characteristics of self-actualized people after studying eighteen people, including
Abrahan Lincoln and Albert Einstein. The characteristics of self-actualizer are able to
perceive reality efficiently and to tolerate uncertainty, accept themselves and others for what they are, spontaneous in thoughts and actions, become a
problem-centered people, have unusual sense of humor, able to look at life objectively, highly creative, resistant to enculturation, concerned for the welfare
of humanity, capable of deep appreciation of basic life-experience, establish deep satisfying interpersonal relationships with a few people, undergo peak experiences,
have privacy, possess democratic attitudes and strong moral and ethical standards.
C. Review of Socio-cultural and Historical Background
The review of socio-historical background is conducted in this study because it is one of ways to understand the condition and situation of Southern
America in early 1960s. This part is divided into two sections. The first section is concerning about Civil Rights Movement in general. The second part is the
specific topic of Women’s Roles in Southern Society during Civil Rights Movement.
33
1. Civil Rights Movement
The forced segregation of racial minorities was once widely accepted as a fact of life. It began with the arrival of the first African slaves in Virginia in 1619.
Then slavery became a trend in America for more than 200 years. Many people were sold, bargained, and treated like animals. Through this era, some enslaved
African American people who had got their freedom were trying to fight against the law and they all were hanged. In 1865, The Thirteenth Amendment abolished
slavery throughout the United States. On June 19, slavery in United States effectively ended. However, colored people still got bad treatments even after the
abolishment of slavery. So many people believed that colored people were still in the lowest stage and that white and colored cannot sit in one table.
According to Ellis and Smith n.d., Mississippi led the South in an extraordinary battle to maintain racial segregation. It set the trend in racial
oppression. Even almost one century since the abolishment of slavery in America, colored people still got the unequal treatments, moreover for them who worked as
maids in the houses of white families. The white parents would not permit their children to study in the same classroom with colored children because they
thought that the colored children were not smart enough and would give bad impacts to their children.
2. Women’s Roles in Southern American Society
Women are usually depicted as powerless creature, moreover when they are belong to minority race. However, a lot of women stood up for their rights
during the Civil Rights Movement. Both black women and white women, they PLAGIAT MERUPAKAN TINDAKAN TIDAK TERPUJI
