Bud, Not Buddy

What could happen to a young boy walking the Michigan streets in the middle of the night during the 1930s?

Oh, lots of things! In general, think of it as the streets of today, combined with two other factors: the Great Depression and racism. The Great Depression left a lot of people desperate. They were hungry, starving even, and willing to do things that they wouldn't have done when they were well-fed.The racism is even worse. Racism was more extreme and more overt in America at that time, and the depression made it even worse. There were lynchings, and it would have been possible for a young boy to be killed just for his race alone.