"Cultural Heritage"

Richard Wright describes his prejudice against Jews as his "cultural heritage." In Sunday School he was taught that the Jews were "Christ killers," and therefore the children were justified, sometimes even encouraged, to persecute them.

At the end of chapter 2, Wright has just begun to grasp the concept and consequences of the racial struggle. However, at the time he was learning to hate Jews, he did not yet comprehend what was really happening. The adults in his life did. Black people always saw their race being discriminated against in every aspect of life. They could find only menial jobs, and the pay was significantly less than a white person in the same position. Poverty was everywhere, as was danger. The Jew was a white man who could rank below the black man. He was hated by others, just as others hated the black man. A persecuted population will often seek out a lesser population to persecute because it will feel like things are being evened out. Wright's Granny was an extremely religious Christian, and so calling the Jews "Christ killers" could sound justified.