Tar Beach is in many ways a special celebration of Black people and culture. With the beautiful artwork and the dynamic Lightfoot family, the story is a loving portrait of Black life in America.
At the same time, Tar Beach touches on racism during the Great Depression, which as you might have guessed, was a big problem.
Cassie's just eight years old, so racism is at least a little bit over her head. But she's heard her father say that the union rejected him, and she knows that's unjust.
Questions About Race
- Which pieces of Cassie's story are unique to African Americans? Which pieces could be anyone's story?
- How do you think it makes Cassie's dad feel when the union won't let him join?
- Can you spot any differences between racism in the 1930s and racism today? Are there any ways in which things have stayed the same?
Chew on This
Try on an opinion or two, start a debate, or play the devil’s advocate.
Racism is the main problem in Cassie's life.
Racism is a piece of Cassie's life, but it's mostly in the background.