Revision: Race is an Idea

They made us into a race. We made ourselves into a people” These lines quoted by Coates when describing race in America. Race and classification of others into categorical groups did not always exist. In fact, race is something that has been socially constructed. Within the America’s the rise of racial groups came based on science and the need to classify others, European taxonomy is a prime example of that. Francois Bernier who proposed the first taxonomy, created a system that divided human beings into 4 different groups based on physical traits such as hair texture and skin color (Golash-Boza, p.22). This unknowingly would mark the beginning of classification within America.

Ultimately the idea and concept of race still continues to exist because of superiority. Race is an idea nothing about the concept of race is back up by any factual evidence. The notion of having different races and making minority and majority groups entitles the superior group to continue dominating in power. The process of racialization in America is what has led to the biracial society that we now have when it comes to race. Within Micheline Labelle's article Race and Racism: Reflections on the power of words, it clearly states that race is a product of racist ideology (p.64). Let’s take a look at America, racist ideologies have a variability of classifying people into different groups. Enslaved people who were brought over to the America's were thought of as "less than" and were treated as such. They were not accounted for as being human but rather as property, chattel and other dehumanizing ways. There were laws passed such as the slave codes which kept these individuals from running away and doing certain things.Also acts were passed within the different colonies stating that reading and writing by enslaved people was illegal, harsh beatings and treatments of the enslaved individuals were also justified by laws. The sole purpose of this was to have those in position of power be able to maintain it and continue with the oppression that the enslaved faced. Now it is believed that America has become a nation that has moved "beyond race" as described by Bonilla-Silva et al. the ideology of "colorblind" racism which is a new but more subtle form of racial ideology. 

The idea of race still persist because from the time it was constructed until today, there are groups that benefit more because of the category that they fit into. Ultimately being divided into racial group’s benefits those who are in higher position of the hierarchy (whites). Race creates space for people to be discriminated against and to be thought of as less than. Further manifestation of social disparities and inequality are all caused by this notion that one race is more dominant and superior over another. When it comes to my own race in particular I have faced many circumstance which clearly shaped my different views on the topic. Based on the early lessons that I have been exposed to I have learned that being a black female in America I do not have the same privilege of a white female even if we were the same age, from similar SES backgrounds obtained the same education and etc. The entire idea of race is built on racist ideology and race has always benefited whites and put them in a higher position of power. So this idea will always persist because the group who was believed to be dominant hundreds of years ago is still believed to be dominant today.

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Citations:

Bonilla-Silva, E., Forman, T. A., Lewis, A. E., & Embrick, D. G. (2003). "IT WASN'T ME!": HOW WILL RACE AND RACISM WORK IN 21st CENTURY AMERICA. Research In Political Sociology, 12111-134.

   Golash-Boza, Tanya Maria. (2015). Race & Racisms : a critical approach. New York :Oxford University Press, 

     Labelle, M. (2016). "RACE" AND RACISM: REFLECTIONS ON THE POWER OF WORDS. Directions: Research & Policy On Eliminating Racism, 758-70.