Racial Segregation and Shared Journeys in “The Back of the Bus” and Personal Reflection

Historical Context

In Mary Mebane’s essay “The Back of the Bus,” she uses very detailed descriptions of the segregated South in the United States as a backdrop to her piece. Using imagery and anecdotal evidence, Mebane quickly places us there in time. For instance, she describes how Black passengers are physically compartmentalized on the buses, and this segregation is particularly poignant, bearing in mind that racial segregation laws were operational at this time (Cooley & Mebane, 2010). It is not only illustrative of a setting but subtly introduces the central element of the theme – racial discrimination.

Emotional Context

Again, Mebane places an emotional situation in perspective by talking about her living concerning experiences and perceptions. The first few paragraphs prescribe a resignation interspersed with implicit submissiveness. It is revealed when she alluded to how the Black passengers, while relegated to the back of the bus, all too often viewed this as a minor nuisance compared with the tremendous daily difficulties they were forced to cope with. As Mebane recalls, “The whole colored section tensed, but nobody said anything” (Cooley & Mebane, 2010, p. 124). This contrast between acceptance and an underlying discontent offers an enormously emotional window into the experience of segregation, effectively lending this introduction at once informative and moving.

Personal Travel Experience

I recall a particular train journey I took last summer. The train, a sleek silver bullet slicing through the countryside, seemed almost futuristic. Inside, the cramped seats and the rhythmic clatter of wheels on tracks created a sense of communal travel. People around me were diverse – a young couple absorbed in their digital world, an older man peering through his spectacles at a worn-out paperback, and a group of teenagers laughing boisterously.

Despite the diversity, there was an unspoken camaraderie, a shared experience of motion and transition. The journey, marked by the blur of passing landscapes and the hum of conversations, was as much about the people as the destination. This mundane yet subtly profound ride encapsulated the essence of public transportation – a melting pot of stories and lives in transit.

Reference

Mebane, M. (2010). The back of the bus. In T. Cooley (Ed.), The Norton Sampler: Short essays for composition (pp. 120–127). essay, W.W. Norton & Co.

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StudyCorgi. "Racial Segregation and Shared Journeys in “The Back of the Bus” and Personal Reflection." June 4, 2025. https://studycorgi.com/racial-segregation-and-shared-journeys-in-the-back-of-the-bus-and-personal-reflection/.

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StudyCorgi. 2025. "Racial Segregation and Shared Journeys in “The Back of the Bus” and Personal Reflection." June 4, 2025. https://studycorgi.com/racial-segregation-and-shared-journeys-in-the-back-of-the-bus-and-personal-reflection/.

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