Does the novel To Kill a Mockingbird offer hope that prejudice might be eradicated one day?

Yes. Following the trial, Miss Maudie invites the children over for some cake and tells Jem that things are never as bad as they seem. Jem is still very frustrated with the results of the trial and expresses his negative thoughts about Maycomb's community. Miss Maudie explains to Jem that there were plenty of people who tried to help Tom Robinson. She says the entire black community supported Tom, along with Judge Taylor and Heck Tate. Maudie says that Judge Taylor named Atticus to defend Tom over the inexperienced Maxwell Green, who usually would have been given the case. She says Taylor understood that Atticus did not have a chance at winning the case, but no other lawyer would make a jury deliberate for a such a long period of time. Maudie tells Jem that although Tom Robinson was wrongly convicted, Maycomb was making small steps in the right direction.

In Chapter 23, Atticus discusses with his son why the jury gave Tom Robinson the death penalty based on circumstantial evidence. Jem argues that there should be no juries, and makes the comment, "Tom's jury sho' made up its mind in a hurry" (Lee 297). Atticus corrects his son and says that the jury took a few hours. He tells Jem that typically a case like Tom's would have taken a few minutes. Atticus makes the comment, "That was one thing that made me think, well, this may be the shadow of a beginning" (Lee 297). Atticus goes on to explain how one of Walter Cunninghams' relatives was initially in favor of Tom Robinson during the deliberation, and that it took a considerable amount of time before he was convinced by the other jury members to vote against Tom.

Maudie's conversation with Jem about how Maycomb is making small steps towards change, and Atticus' comment that describes the trial as "the shadow of a beginning," offer hope that prejudiced might be eradicated one day. Also, Scout and Jem's moral development and belief that individuals should be treated equally present hope for the future generations. Morally upright children have the power to change the course history and possibly eradicate prejudice in the future.