“Prejudice is the child of ignorance” was once said by William Hazlitt and most accurately describes how racism towards African Americans has been handled; with ignorance. William Hazlitt an English writer, as well as a social commentator and philosopher, believed that racism towards African Americans was the result of the un-educated not realizing the color of one’s skin is just pigmentation and nothing more; it does not determine mental capacity and or ones morals etc. Racism and prejudice towards African Americans has been present before and even after the abolition of slavery. In fact, many historians claim that racism in the United States has never actually ended but rather insidiously changes forms. Racism can still even be seen in present-day…show more content… This practice started in 1619 when the first 19 or so Africans arrived in Jamestown, Virginia, brought by a Dutch trader. The novel “The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn” written by Mark Twain is a piece of literature that deals heavily with the issue of slavery. For this reason, the book is a source for a large amount of controversy; the book includes frequent use of the word “nigger” as well as it how it handles the practice of slavery very light. The novel follows the adventures of Huckleberry Finn, a young boy in the 1840’s, who runs away from home. While floating down the Mississippi River Huckleberry Finn runs into a runaway slave named Jim. The novel surrounds the adventures of the two as well as their journey to the Free states. Racism is seen to be scattered throughout the novel, some more easy to acknowledge than others. For example, throughout the novel, Jim and Huckleberry Finn have to fear the reality Jim could be recaptured and have his freedom stolen once again. A large event in the novel is the scene when Jim is accused of raping a white girl. This is not true. However, no one believes him being he is African American as well as a slave. Jim is freed at the end of the novel; however he is the only one being slavery will not end for another 35 or so
