I found the Zinn writing Drawing the Color Line to be very thought provoking. Never have I thought about the black/white “issue” quite like this before. How has this thing called “racism” remained so ingrained in our nation’s culture over such a long period of time? The idea of tracing it back to the very beginnings of slavery and the coming of the first whites and blacks to North America really makes sense. And, that from the beginning, economics played an important role in slavery and ultimately, racism. I agree with Zinn that racism is “a complex web of historical threads,” (Zinn 2003, p. 38) and not “natural”; that this was originally a system created due to the desperate settles starving to death, the incredible helplessness felt by displaced Africans, the drive to maximize profits by slave traders and plantation owners, the temptation of superiority for poor whites, strong control measures to discourage escape and rebellion, and the legal and social punishment when blacks and whites collaborated. It is unfortunate that the situation created by slavery never allowed for black and white to embrace each other simply as fellow Americans – without a history of subordination, monetary incentive for exploitation and enslavement, and the desperation for simply surviving. Fear, power, and greed can be the root of terrible things. What really puzzles me though is why the struggle continues some 350 years later.
Additionally, I found interesting the idea that, even before slavery, the color black was “distasteful.” The definition, from the Oxford English Dictionary (before 1600) as quoted in the text was in no way positive, as opposed to the Elizabethan poetry description of the color white and its connection with beauty. This got me thinking about what the definitions of both black and white might be today. The following are the links to the definitions of each from the on-line Merriam-Webster Dictionary.
What are your thoughts on how they compare to the definitions referred to in our reading? Take note of the following examples from Webster’s current definition:
Black: very dark in color (his face was black with rage)
White: notably ardent : passionate (white fury)
I love your example about the white/black- good/bad dichotomy. I think it perfectly exemplifies the internal struggle the little girl faced in the youtube video about the doll experiment. Who decided that the word "black" in any sense, was to have a negative connotation, and "white" a positive one? Who is deciding the meanings in our dictionaries? It is a very provocative idea to relate the meanings and implication of words that are thought of as "neutral" with covert, racist associations.
ReplyDeleteOne of the theories of the etymology of the word black is that it might have come from the word "blackamoor" which is a reference to the Islamic Moors of Northern Africa. One could maybe assume then that the word "black" has underpinnings in the tenuous relationships between Christians and Muslims during that time period. http://www.etymonline.com/index.php?term=black
ReplyDeleteI was completely shocked with the links you posted. I would never thought to look up the definitions and it surprised me! Who is to decide these definitions?
ReplyDeleteInteresting post about the etymology of the words, Julie! To add to this, I'd also like to mention the connotations of the words black and white in the evil/good sense. White is always considered pure, good, and even holy. On the other hand, black is associated with dark forces and danger. I had a neat opportunity to experience this first-hand while working with Haitian children last summer. The meanings associated with the color black were so strong that we had to omit the black beads from the bracelet, due to the perceived associations with black magic.
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