REVISION: Causation of Racialization

Kelsey Reeder
BLST 101

                                         Causation of Racialization

Racialization is the act of instilling a person with a perception of race difference. This growth of racialization was based on the actions of mankind for centuries, predominantly during the Trans-Atlantic Slave Trade. From our knowledge of history, race has never naturally occurred until this act of racialization by the Europeans, forcefully bringing several million enslaved Africans into the New World to produce labor for no cost. Europeans used race to distinguish their slavery system and to classify who was inferior and more superior. Europeans constructed slavery based on race, while Africans only enslaved other Africans because they are rival tribes and to claim supremacy for their kingdom. Around the 1660’s white indentured servants had more privileges than African slaves. White indentured servants were able to finish their time as a servant and their child was born free. However, black slaves were offered the opposite. In the Maryland Act of 1664 enslaved Africans were declared to be enslaved for life, and in the Barbados, slavery was justified since Africans were perceived as uncivilized, inferior, and their customs being insufficient. The Europeans branded themselves as white and pure, whereas Africans were dirty and impious. Lastly, in the year 1717, free blacks were not able to own land in Connecticut. White Europeans immediately disconnected themselves from the enslaved Africans, displaying the race that holds power and authority.

I believe the earlier lessons not only impacted my view on race, but they were a reminder of how the enslaved Africans were looked upon.  They were desensitized, preserved as if they were chattel, and stripped of their identity through seasoning. These early lessons made me wonder what if racialization did not develop within the Europeans and Africans. Would another race be imprisoned, or would there still be slavery if it was not based on race? Correspondingly, I was stunned by the Africans involvement with selling their enslaved Africans to the Europeans, and how much of slavery was solely based on business, not taking into consideration of how Africans felt leaving their homeland.

The idea of race persisting is due to the ignorance that one teaches their children, the stereotypes in which people of color are portrayed as, our unlawful justice system, and much more. In this article, it states,“… “seeing” race is a cognitive process shaped by social context and prevailing social norms.”(Saperstein 2013)  Race is entrenched in us because it is a big part of history and an issue that was never solved, and probably never will be. The only people who benefit from racism and the division of races is whites of a higher authority including white police officers, and whites in the government. White police officers are never held accountable for murdering Black men and women who are simply complying to their demands. It is revealed through this article that “Black people are also more likely to be targeted in experimental decision-to-shoot games, even when they are unarmed.” (Correll et al. 2002). It helps them to feel as if they are in authority. As a people, we are still segregated are placed in communities and school systems that a built to fail black, and are being killed by people who are supposed to serve and protect us. 

Photo by Moise Morancy from http://www.the-coreport.com/does-racism-still-exist-the-wounds-of-racism/

I feel as if this photograph speaks for itself. It portrays that even if you are an educated African-American or not, you are still going to be judged by your skin color. Others will not judge you for your character. Likewise, I believe this photo sends the message that our own country is killing us. 

Works cited

Andres, K. (2016). Source Analysis of 'The Barbados Slave Code of 1661' Retrieved October 03, 2016, from https://medium.com/@kennethandres/source-analysis-of-the-barbados-slave-code-of-1661-3e0f9fd8cabd#.6t7vg9h3r 

Correll, J., Park, B., Judd, C. M., & Wittenbrink, B. (2002). The police officer's dilemma: Using ethnicity to disambiguate potentially threatening individuals. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 83(6), 1314-1329. doi:10.1037//0022-3514.83.6.1314

Saperstein, A., Penner, A. M., & Kizer, J. M. (2013). The Criminal Justice System and the Racialization of Perceptions. The ANNALS of the American Academy of Political and Social Science, 651(1), 104-121. doi:10.1177/0002716213503097