When I read The Life and Times of Fredrick Douglas, one passage about speaking to a group of his supporters has always stayed with me. After speaking to a group of abolitionists, he considered the evening a great success, because at the end of his talk he believed they were convinced he was equally human with them. Those who saw the TV show Roots can remember the president of the black college being asked to sing by his benefactor to convince the woman she was with about how valuable these people were because of their wonderful voices. Even the strongest supporters of blacks questioned whether they were as fully human as themselves.
Now comes Mark Twain in1876, just a few years after the decline of the KKK, saying that even “poor white trash” like Huck Finn can figure out that “Nigger Jim” is just like him. Twain washes away the entire pretense built up from etiquette, education, wealth, etc. that people generally use to form their opinions of themselves and others. Because of his precise choice of words, what remains on that raft is two people who can look directly into each others’ eye.
In his final indictment Twain through Huck Finn tells the reader that the accoutrements of civilization prevent one from being human and recognizing the humanity in others. I guess I find that lesson timeless.
Huzzaa!