The USA

As a country, the United States has a centuries-old history of struggles with issues of race, and relations between the races. From the time of its inception (1776), a period in which slavery was still widely practiced, through the 1950’s (the time during which the novel is set), a period in which the fight for equal rights began in earnest, through the present day, the USA and its population have struggled with ignorance, hatred, and violence that have resulted from / been triggered by the belief that the white (Caucasian / European) race is inherently, and by definition, superior.

Little Rock, Arkansas

This is the city in which the narrative is set. Arkansas is regarded as one of the “Southern” states, those states that practiced slavery, and held onto the racist beliefs that led to / sustained the practice, for decades, even centuries. Several real-life, historical incidents took place in Arkansas...