Negrophobia—> US Slavery Residue Pt 2
Table of contents for US Slavery Residue
- US Slavery RESIDUE Pt. 1 History
- Negrophobia—> US Slavery Residue Pt 2
- Should African Americans Get Reparations—> US Slavery Residue Pt 3
United States Slavery began in 1619 and was abolished in 1865. The ideas, attitudes, and beliefs formed prior to and during slavery about Black people did not end or disappear upon the abolition of slavery. Hence, the term US Slavery Residue. As defined by the dictionary, Residue = Something that remains after a part is removed, disposed of, or used; remainder; rest; remnant.
What exactly is this ‘residue’ and how… if at all does it affect us today? In order to answer that we must take a close honest look at American history with fresh new eyes. So few are willing to do that…Are you willing?
“Slavery is ground zero for race relations in America.’ If you don’t understand that, it’s hard to get a grip on what’s going on today.”—Peter Wood Duke University Historian
“Slavery wasn’t the sideshow in America, it was the main event in American history.”—Jim Horton consultant to the PBS series “Slavery and the Making of America“
“This is not African American history, it’s American history. It’s the history of all of us.”—William R. Grant, director of science, natural history
US Slavery began and ended with the idea that blacks were less than whites. Slaves were not considered human (well actually maybe 3/5th human) but they were not treated humanely. Slaves were chattel (personal property)…Think about that…Now consider the type of thinking, ideology, mentality, opinions, and views Americans obviously had of Blacks during slavery.
Do you really think that such negative views of Blacks were changed instantaneously at the end of slavery?
There was no ‘good PR‘ or ‘postive spin‘ for Blacks. For Blacks to go from being personal property for hundreds of years to being free and equal was inconceivable for many. Every effort was made to diminish the rights of Blacks. America was swept by Negrophobia and a deep anti-Black sentiment.
The fight for freedom was just the beginning. After gaining freedom which rendered Slave codes null and void…there was the struggle to over come Black Codes and Jim Crow Laws.
From the time the first African slave stepped foot on American soil in 1619 to 1968 the tradition and institution of American racism has attempted to prevent Blacks from obtaining and exercising inalienable rights.
Please note that 1968 was only 39 years ago. My grandparents were born in the 20’s and my parents in the 50’s…while they obviously were not slaves they were certainly impacted by the Jim Crow laws that were in full effect well into the late 60’s. Many of our parents and grandparents remember all to well segregation, blatant discrimination, the Ku Klux Klan, and the civil rights movement.
Ask a Black man or woman over 65 about their interactions or encounters with white people during their childhood, teenage, and young adult years. Do you think they’ll have warm fuzzy memories to share?
Clearly America has come a long way and progress has indeed been made…but how much have American traditions, views, and sentiments really changed?
Obama Gets Added Protection
After Racist Threats
Secret Service Called To
Protect Presidential Candidate
Did Hurricane Katrina reveal a historic reality?
Michael Eric Dyson, author of ‘Come Hell or High Water,’ explores the legacy of African-American suffering in the U.S. since slavery……..
US Slavery Residue and generational racism go hand in hand. It took centuries to amend, change, and pass Civil Rights laws. How long will it take us to change our thinking? How do we cleanse ourselves of US Slavery Residue?
To Be Continued….Atonement
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August 17th, 2007 at 12:06 pm
My Mom attended school in Kansas during the Brown vs. the Board of Education scene.
She was in high school and she was a sort of activist in her day.
She challenged authority and often times she won.
Unheard of in 1950s Kansas.
To make matters even more dicey for her, she met my dad, who was a military man, married and moved to Mississippi (his home state) and had to deal with ‘real’ racism.
She came close to getting lynched a couple of times.
The thing is, rather than dwell on it or become bitter, the best revenge for my family was success.
My parents went on to build their own very successful business.
Also, my family didn’t assimilate by succumbing to the notion that we needed to take on the traits of the white man.
No cotillions, no sororities or fraternities…individuality.
We are just as culpable for racism and bigotry within the ranks.
The paper bag test is still in play to this day.
That’s something I would love to discuss.
August 23rd, 2007 at 7:21 am
On the flipside of this issue, racism in the black community is more the norm than in the white community. I am not trying to deflect attention away from white on black racism, just pointing out what no one ever talks about.
I am a white male working in corrections. I feel racism from my black inmates, but to a greater extent, I feel it from my black coworkers. The young generation of black americans never experienced the adversity that black people faced in this country from the days of slavery through the civil rights movement. So where do their attitudes and perceptions come from? I believe that it’s part of the culture of black america.
How do we change it? Like anything else, all you can be responsible for are how you conduct yourself and how you raise your own children. Successful black americans generally leave the neighborhood once they achieve success. The fallout from that is that the neighborhood loses people who would be instrumental in changing the culture, and the neighborhood remains the neighborhood because the majority of potential positive role models leave. We are losing a generation of young black men to this culture of fast drug money and violent retribution. Many young men that have been assigned to my housing units over the years are either dead or won’t get out of prison til after I retire. The ones that do end up in jail almost always come back to jail, and it’s sad, because a lot of these young men are bright and good people at the core, and would be successful if they would walk another path. For some, I honestly just think that it’s easier to be incarcerated than try to figure out how to wake up every day, go to work and pay the bills. I understand that these young people may face steeper obstacles than their peers from the suburbs, but I never want to hear about their criminal records keeping them from getting work, because they made those choices and have to abide by the consequences. Having a criminal record presents even steeper obstacles in the real world, but many people overcome their past mistakes and prosper.
I hope this comment isn’t inflammatory, because it certainly isn’t meant to be. I don’t like being on the wrong end of racism any more than anyone else, and at my job, I feel it’s effects everyday. I raise my sons to be color blind, as we all should.
August 23rd, 2007 at 9:42 am
“I am a white male working in corrections. I feel racism from my black inmates, but to a greater extent, I feel it from my black coworkers. The young generation of black americans never experienced the adversity that black people faced in this country from the days of slavery through the civil rights movement. So where do their attitudes and perceptions come from? I believe that it’s part of the culture of black america.”
My first question would probably be “what are you basing your “knowledge” of the Black American Culture on? Hopefully it’s not based on what you experience on your job or what you see or hear on TV, movies, and the radio.
The adversity young Black Americans face now is very different but equally intense. It’s one thing to come up in a system of slavery where you know there is no hope. It’s a completely different thing to be sold an American dream that you see everyday, but the only people you can relate to that are successful are entertainers and athletes.
Secondly, I think what you may mean is you’re feeling discriminated against because your white, which unfortunately, does happen. You are not experiencing racism. There is a difference.
I think beyond racism (yes it’s possible), and I would never teach my child, if I had one, or anyone else for that matter, to be colorblind. I think being “colorblind” is precisely the problem. It’s a little funny every time I hear that. Why would one want to be color blind in a world so rich with color and diversity?
There are some that don’t “see” (as equal), or respect those of color, most especially Black people. It’s very pervasive and underlying, and I say that because Black people have the dubious distinction of being the only race of color to inhabit and build this country at no cost other than their purchase as slaves. These human beings were killed in the hundreds of millions just in transport (i wish i was exaggerating). They were deemed and treated as less than human from 1619-1865. During this time, it was illegal for a slave to read. Why do you think that was?
Upon being emancipated in 1865, what were the slaves to do do? How would they live? What about their children? What about their Children’s children? And you can’t at least, on a logical level, understand why you may have been discriminated against by some Black people?
I’m sure someone may be thinking “what about the Civil Rights Movement?” That’s actually a pretty good question. About 100 years after being freed, or 39 years ago there was the Civil Rights Act. Sadly enough, the fact is there are more emigrants that actually benefit from those rights than anyone else. How many Black owned businesses do you see in Black communities? Blacks own no National Banking Firms, No Major Network, No Hospitals, No Colleges…
Is it because Black people are too lazy, incapable, or too criminal minded? Is it because of the Culture in Black America? If so, what created that Culture?
Can we honestly say that we don’t see the effects of slavery on our modern society, despite those very few but very notable exceptions; Oprah Winfrey, Colin Powell, etc.?
I think there will never be any healing until those responsible for what has happened as well as those that currently benefit from the inherent advantage, take full ownership and responsibility, subsequently begin making true amends.
The Native Americans that survived the killings were deceitfully and brutally displaced from their native lands. Even though they were very horribly taken advantage of, and killed, they still maintained a small amount of ownership in the form of reservations, some of which are in horrible condition. The fact still remains however that some of their descendants are able to benefit from what’s “rightfully” theirs.
The Latinos that had their land stolen, were exploited, and suffered greatly, but were not enslaved.
During World War II, there were Asians who were relegated to concentration camps. They received reparations.
It seems to me that when it comes to Black people, it’s a case of “set ‘em up for failure and punish ‘em when they fail”. It’s really easy to see things from our own perspectives with our own belief systems and issue our own judgment accordingly.
I, not unlike everyone else, is in no moral position to judge anyone else’s actions or lack thereof. Everyone makes mistakes. We can however, look at what causes certain behaviors. Not to justify those actions, but to gain a better understanding in hopes of prevention and preservation. We can also transcend our circumstance. Ultimately, what we all need to do is, at the very least, try to understand each other and be open and honest about it.
August 23rd, 2007 at 5:15 pm
Good points. I don’t know if I agree with your definition of racism. Isn’t racial discrimination racial discrimination and a racist a racist?
You are right about the color blind thing too. We all come from different cultures, and there is much worth preserving from all of our heritages. However, those differences should never divide and isolate us as americans.
Economic disadvantage does not discriminate, and while the jails are also filled with young white men from the neighborhood, the jail population is so overwhelmingly black that it begs the question: In a society where blacks account for approx 14% of the total population, are they, as a group, set up for failure?
Will people be having this same discussion in another 40 years? As a group, are our attitudes toward each other any more enlightened today?
August 26th, 2008 at 2:06 pm
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