Racism and Prejudice Essay -- Racial Relations, Carl N. Degler

Racism and prejudice against African Americans in the United States can be found many years forwards the institution of slavery was leg all toldy defined in any reconcile or federal law. Historical documents reveal that almost a half a century before slavery delineated by law, racial discrimination against colored people was apparent. Although some modern historians may argue that racial discrimination was a result of the clear-cut slavery codes, according to author Carl N. Degler, if peerless examines the early history of slavery in the English colonies and the re doingion of Englishmen toward saturnine people, it becomes evident that the assumption slavery is responsible for the low social military position of Negros is open to question (29).Slavery did non precede racial discrimination. Rather, legal slavery helped discrimination against African-Americans perpetuate and flourish from the 17th to the 19th century. In fact, racism and fear of the norm is a custom aryly found behavior in history. For instance, Irishmen in the colonies were referred to as beyond the Pale or even slaves (30). The storied poet and playwright Shakespeare even referred to the African prince Othello as a thing (31). The Africans were of a different culture and considered an inferior race for these differences. They were destined to be slaves cod to the prevalent prejudice such as being labeled savages in Africa. As early as 1620, Virginia and Maryland records rarely refer to slaves moreover mainly speak of Negroes (31). The label Negros is in no way a positive term. Discrimination was widespread in law codes throughout the worldly concern before the establishment of slavery as well. In Bermuda, the Assembly of Bermuda passed an act restraining the insolencies of the Negroes (32). Notice the word insolencies,... ...s well as the hatred of blacks. White southerners, twain rich and unworthy, looked down upon Africans as the inferior race. Both felt the cerebra l status as higher beings, especially the poor, who would be the lowest of all elucidatees in the southern hierarchy if slavery never existed. One backcountry sodbuster addressed his fellow southerners, asking, Howd you like to hev have a nigger steppin up to your darter daughter (182-183). Recorded commentary such as this demonstrated the common fear of the black-man.Slavery played a key role not only in the economy, but in society as well. racialist ideals along with the psychological effect of being above another class led to the defense of slavery by both the rich and poor alike. Works CitedDegler, Carl N. Neither Black Nor White Slavery and Race dealing in Brazil and the United States . New York, 1971 .