In the early 1960s America was a little different than it is today. Nowadays, African Americans can vote, eat in restaurants, and even drink at the same fountains as white Americans. In the early 1960s, African Americans were treated poorly, and even long after slavery was abolished, they were still treated as if they were 3/5ths of a man. The civil rights movement and Martin Luther King Jr.'s famous "I Have a Dream" speech were also an important point in reference to racism among African Americans in America in the 1960s. Another example of racism and segregation in America in the 1960s The 1960s were the works. An African American woman could work for a white family, raise children, cook food, clean the house, wash clothes, and even sleep with their husbands, but the African American woman could not use the same bathroom as the white family, nor could they sit in table and eat the dinner they had prepared with the white family. Examples of racism towards African American maids are many shown in the book The Help, by Kathryn Stockett. The book The Help is basically about an African American waitress, her name was Aibileen and she worked for the Leefolts. Aibileen was a bright, strong, caring African American woman. Aibileen worked for many white American families, but the Leefolts changed her forever, especially after the death of her son. of Mississippi to see if he'll approve the idea, I'll pass." (1.32) This is a clear example of how African American women were treated as maids in the 1960s. Often even after slavery was abolished... middle of paper. .....those who didn't want to do it could see the reluctance on their faces, but that's what they were forced to be sometimes. (Smith, Dezchai)Racism in America didn't just affect the people of color, John Howard Griffin, a white American man, decided to undergo a project. Not just any project, John Howard Griffin would become an African American man He wanted to see how hard it was for African American men and how much he would be able to endure , before collapsing. John Howard Griffin encountered so much hatred and despair, as he tried to absorb it all. In his interview after the project he stated: “The amount of hatred I experienced, it was through the roof. Years after the abolition of the slavery, it was often a lot to take in and some days I wanted to abandon the project. I knew that if I left, though, I wouldn't be able to make that impact" (Griffin, John)