Mark Twain a Racist?

Many people say that Mark Twain is a racist simply because he uses the N-word too much. Personally I don't think that Mark Twain is a racist. He uses that term because it was normal to say it during that period of time. He didn't mean it in the same context people consider racist today. If Mark Twain was a racist, why would he make Jim and Huck friends? Jim was actually Huck's closest friend throughout the book. If you asked me Jim is the most honest person in the book and also a good person. He's somewhat of a father figure to Huck and stuck with him side by side. For example, when Jim and Huck found the dead guy, Jim didn't let Huck see the face because he was looking out for him. Mark Twain was trying to say that blacks were no different than whites and that they were people too. This book is overall a satire about racism. People who say that Mark Twain is a racist should consider reading deeper into the book.
posted by Arthur L.