Problems of Inequality and PowerBy: Barbara Meyer

Racism:a belief or doctrine that inherent differences among the various human races determine cultural or individual achievement, usually involving the idea that one's own race is superior and has the right to rule others (dictionary.com, 2014)

History of Racism

• Much of today’s acts of racism branch of from the 1400’s.• Europeans were colonizing Africa and the America’s.• Europeans thought it was their job to civilize the

“savages”• A systematic practice of denying people their access to

rights, representation, or resources based on racial differences.

• Not natural.• Throughout history, people from different racial groups

have co-existed and interacted peacefully (dosomething.org, 2014.)

Racism against Natives• Millions of Natives live in the United States, after the

colonial era.• During the colonial era, Natives were exposed to a long

series of wars, massacre, forced displacements, restriction of food rights, and the imposition of treaties, land was taken, and numerous hardships were imposed.

• Natives were claimed of being merciless Indian savages.• Once the territories the Natives inhabited were

incorporated into the US, the Natives that had lived were relocated to reservations, which only constituted 4% of the US territory, and the treaties that were signed, were violated.

• In current day the Natives are most harshly affected by institutionalized racism (dosomething.org, 2014)

Racism against Blacks• Slavery in the US began shortly after English colonists first

settled into Virginia and lasted until the passage of the Thirteenth Amendment to the United States Constitution in 1865.

• By the 18th century, people of the African decent and Black Africans, and sometimes Native Americans were made to be slaves.

• Racism in the United States was the worse during the 18th and 19th century then it has been during any other time (dosomething.org, 2014)

Racism against Latin Americans• Recent increases in both legal and illegal immigration of

Latin Americans have spurred anti-Latino sentiment.• The debate on immigration has created negative feelings of

nativism and racist claims that Latin Americans are taking over white Anglo- American society.

Racism against Middle- Easterners and Muslims

• Racism against Arab Americans have risen along with tensions between the American Government and the Arab World.

• Since the World Trade Center incident in 2001, discrimination and violence has rapidly increased against Arab Americans and a handful of other religious and cultural groups.

• Iraqis were the ones demonized which resulted in hatred towards Arabs and Iranians living in the United States.

• Many Christian Arabs have been attacked because of their appearances.

• Hollywood is guilty of portraying Arabs as bad people (dosomething.org, 2014.)

Racism and Women• In 1968 the Black Women's Liberation Committee was

founded.• It was difficult to be a black woman from the mid 1960’s-

1970’s.• Black women were the back bone to the civil rights

movement, but were deemphasized as black men (copyright, 2014.)

Quotes about Racism• “I have a dream that one day little black boys and girls will

be holding hands with little white boys and girls.”- Martin Luther King Junior

• “Hating people because of their colour is wrong. And it doesn’t matter which colour does the hating. It is just plain wrong.”- Muhammad Ali

• “In this country American means white. Everybody else has to hyphenate.”-Toni Morrison (Goodreadsinc, 2014)

Structural Functionalist Theory on Racism• Society works together to be a functioning system.• We all have arms, legs, and a brain, and so on.• We all have to work together no matter what colour to

have a functioning society (copyright 2003-2014.)

Enjoy a few short videos!!• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=piVR2H8J7Rs

One more video!• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1LVeqqBZTQ4

Solution• In my opinion the solution to racism would be for

everyone to get along, people need to realize that we all bleed red and that if it weren’t for all the different cultures we converse with everyday the world wouldn’t be the same as it is now…which is really sad….Everyone just need to get along, you can’t judge a book by its cover.

THANK YOU

Referencesdictionary.com, 2014

dosomething.org, 2014www.dummies.com, 2014goodreads.com, 2014education-portal.com, 2003-2014youtube.com, 2014