The Civil War was a struggle over slavery in the mid to late 1800s. When the North won and abolished slavery, the South still had the slavery mentality; they thought black people or former slaves were beneath them, as they had always been. Different blacks had different responses to this abhorrent behavior by white Southerners. Some accepted the discriminatory treatment meted out by whites while others wanted revenge for the demeaning treatment of slaves. In the book The Marrow of Tradition, several black characters exhibit different responses to the racism exhibited during different events throughout the novel. These characters, Dr. Miller, Josh Greene, and Jerry, are greatly affected by slavery and racism, as shown throughout the book. First, Dr. Miller is a unique character because he is a well-off black doctor. Although he does not like racism against black people, he does not take any action against it. To begin with, Dr. Miller shows the effects of slavery in his character because he works extremely hard. For example, Miller opens a hospital, which takes up a lot of his time and energy because he has to travel to get supplies and work as a doctor in his hospital. Then racism had a much bigger effect on Dr. Miller. When Major Carteret's baby Dodie needs medical help, Carteret does not allow her to help with the operation. Being turned away because of color is racist and makes Dr. Miller feel incompetent. Finally, another scene in the book is when Dr. Miller is on a train and talking to a white friend. The train attendant directs him toward the car marked black, saying, “'but Virginia law does not permit colored passengers to ride in the white cars'” (Chesnutt 34). Therefore, racism affected Miller by making him seem too middle of paper... Obviously, Jerry is affected by slavery and racism because he is still in the slave mentality. Miller, Josh Green, and Jerry, three diverse black characters in The Marrow of Tradition, exhibit different effects of slavery and racism throughout the book. Dr. Miller draws his qualities as a hard worker from his slaveholding influence, but racism makes him feel inferior. Josh Green, on the other hand, is socially subordinated because of slavery, and racism makes him extremely violent towards white people. Finally, Jerry is so influenced by white men that he always thinks he is under their control and conforms to everything they do; racism affects him by making him racist towards black people. The Civil War, even though it was supposed to end slavery, had a monumental impact on black people through racism and the long-term consequences of slavery. Then it was winning the civil war this way for the better?