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“The Help” a fictional movie based on Kathryn Stockett’s novel, is set in the early 1960s and portrays the interactions between white Southerners and their Black housekeepers. There are three main characters who are all Mississippi women but who are very different from one another.

Skeeter, a young white woman and an inspiring journalist, decides to write a novel from the point of view of the Black maids, to expose the racism that they are faced with each day. The story focuses on her relationship with two Black maids, Aibileen Clark and Minny Jackson, who share struggles against society as they work through loss of family members, abuse and mistreatment. Throughout the movie, these characters build an unlikely bond around a secret writing project that breaks societal rules and puts them all at risk. A sisterhood is formed that gives them the courage to go beyond the lines that once defined them. They soon realize that these lines were meant to be crossed, even if doing so is wildly unpopular at the time. This story dives into a vision of a divided America and highlights characters that demonstrate the segregationist South that were present at the time.

Despite the decades between today and the era of the Jim Crow laws, racism is still prevalent in today’s society. Strong themes in “The Help” such as racism and white perception of Blackness are still evident today. The pivotal message of this movie is the ability to create change and the courage to stand up for that positive societal shift.

To start, Aibileen, a housemaid to Jolene French, demonstrates a bond between her and the white child that she helps raise, Mae Mobley. We see this same relationship throughout the movie when we look at the main character, Skeeter, and her maid, Constantine. While these housemaids are treated like a burden, a resentment and property by the adults in the household, they step in as the caretakers and loving mother figures for the children they take care of. Aibileen again and again shows that love is not limited to blood relationships but is often unfairly complicated by the structures built up by society. 

Opposite of this love, you see the relationship between childhood friends Skeeter, Hilly and Elizabeth crumble as the movie unfolds. Skeeter twists away from the friendship she once had with the women who disagree with the stances she holds. As we look around at our own personal relationships, there are times when we need to decide if a “difference in opinions or beliefs” is worth the relationships we have. Skeeter had to look past her long-lasting friendships and decide what was morally right, even if it meant losing people that are apart of her life.

It’s evident what kind of perception was held in this time. However, these perceptions still remain today. Characters in the movie were automatic suspects in crimes and victims of violence. Today, police brutality towards POC is reoccurring around our country. According to mappingpoliceviolence.org, Black individuals are three times more likely to be killed by police than white people.

Lastly, the theme of white perception of Blackness is shown in “The Help.” Skeeter goes against the mindset that she grew up to know and does what is right, despite the popular opinion in her community. She pushes aside the consequences and stays true to her mission to publish these stories and show the perspective and testimonies that resulted in her being alone in her friend and family circle. Even though a published book did not change hearts and minds in her community, it was a shift in the right direction toward equality.

Just like today, standing up for what is right, even in small moments may seem insignificant, but it is more powerful than it may seem. George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, Stephon Clark, Eric Garner, Tamir Rice, Michael Brown. These are only a tiny fraction of names who deserve justice and needed people to display actions such as Skeeter’s. Action is needed by everyone to repair the broken society we see today.

Despite the decades that stand between 2021 and the era of “The Help” it is clear that we have not reached the equality and equity that is needed today. From the cruel murder of George Floyd and the rise of BLM protests to the unrighteous police brutality that is shown toward the Black community today, we cannot turn our eyes to the injustice being shown simply due to discomfort or denial.

How can we do this? Like Skeeter, we can help share the voices of the oppressed. We can speak out against inequality and injustice. We can educate our family members and friends. Most importantly, we can continue to educate ourselves. We can understand the privilege that we have. It is our part to play on the road toward racial equality.