They are sympathetic to Walker because of their fondness for Sarah, a young Black washerwoman who is Coalhouse's lover. The iconic WASP family is called only by their family identities, because unlike Walker and the Jewish Tateh, they do not need to make a name for themselves -- their place in the world is secure. But even with the help of a prominent family, no one will take a stand against the firemen. Walker becomes an angry, militant activist, feeling, perhaps rightly so, that in 20th century America, no one will treat a Black man with respect. However, the presence of the gentler but still strong Sarah underlines that not every Black American agrees with Walker, as does the presence of prominent, historical Black Americans like Booker T. Washington.

The prejudices of the legal system and society make an ironic contrast between the fact that Black music gives the musical...
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