How Does Mama explain Mr. Simm's behavior to Cassie

Mama tells Cassie that Mr. Simms is, "one of those people who has to believe that white people are better than black people to make himself feel big." She tells Cassie about her heritage, about her Great-great Grandfather's escape from slavery, and about the eventual end of slavery. She also explained how there were people who still saw them as different.... as inferior, and that even if they tried to force respect, they couldn't get it. The whites only got the result of fear.... nothing more.