History of Racism in the United States

Abstract 

Racism can be described as a system of beliefs and ideologies, which can have a serious influence on communities and society in their bid to create racial and ethnic equality. The issue of racism has played a crucial role in shaping the history of the United States, as white Americans have often viewed themselves as being superior when compared to the racial minority communities. The outcome has been on the fact that the people from the minority communities often find themselves experiencing severe challenges in their bid to building on social and economic equality. The minority communities have been at the forefront in fighting for justice and inclusion as part of the American society regardless of the challenges and consequences that can be traced to racism and racial discrimination. 

The objective of this research paper is to examine the issue of racism as it relates to the context of the United States. The historical analysis will examine how racism has shaped the country's history with the specific focus being towards reflecting on the impacts that it has had on the minority communities. The research paper will focus on trying to understand the institutionalization of racial and ethnic discrimination in the historical context of American society. The paper will seek to understand whether racism, in the United States, can be categorized as being institutional. Specifically, this research paper will examine racism from the context of the minority communities to help give readers a clear picture of the impacts that it has had on the communities that can be considered as racial minorities. 

History of Racism in the United States 

Introduction 

Since the colonial period, racial turmoil has remained as one of the critical social issues affecting the United States with the majority communities using this as a social tool allowing them to control the minority communities. Some of the communities that have experienced racism include African Americans, Asians, and Hispanics. During the colonial era, legally and socially sanctioned practices were viewed as critical privileges for the white Americans but were denied to other races. That created an environment where racism was considered as a crucial part of the American social context, as it was a practice that people had embraced as part of their societal practices. The issue of racism created an avenue through which the majority of the people from the minority communities experienced severe exclusion issues in areas that include health care and housing among others. 

Most of the states in the South within the United States had adopted segregation laws, as well as, restricted voting of African Americans until the mid-20 th century, which sought to suggest that indeed this community was viewed as being inferior. The approaches that were taken by leaders, who sought to create what can be described as a ‘racially pure’ American society, can only be compared to the persecution of Jews within the Nazi society in the 1930s. Consequently, this suggested that the issue of racism had become a societal part of the American society meaning that the people viewed this as a crucial part of their social practices. To date, racism has remained as an issue that affects millions of people both in an outside the context of the United States. 

Although the average American, living within the United States, holds the view that the issue of racism has changed significantly in the past decades, this may not be an accurate representation of the situation. That is clear from the fact most of the people from the minority communities, which include African Americans and Hispanics, find themselves facing severe challenges in dealing with racism. Studies conducted in modern American society have suggested that indeed most of the white Americans see themselves holding discriminatory viewpoints towards the minority communities. That creates a situation where it becomes difficult for racial minorities to achieve what can be considered as social equality, as they are not given an opportunity as a result of racial discrimination. 

The United States Human Rights Network, which is a non-governmental organization focused on social equality, indicated that “discrimination in the United States permeates all aspects of life and extends to all communities of color” (Zimring, 2017, p.26) The ethically structured institutions in the historical context of the United States include slavery and immigration laws. The minority communities found themselves facing severe challenges in their bid towards promoting equality, as it became somewhat challenging for the people within these communities to achieve what can be described as social equality. Currently, the issue of racism can be seen in areas such as employment and education with the minority communities trailing behind when compared to the majority communities. The focus of this paper is to embark on an in-depth analysis of the issue of racism from the historical context of the United States, which would help in providing a clear understanding of how the problem has affected the minority communities in the country. 

Research Questions 

The research conducted on the history of racism within the United States has been based on several key research questions, which have played a vital role in the collection of relevant research data. The questions that govern this study include: 

How has racism shaped the social history of the United States? 

What are some of the underlying impacts that racism has had on the minority communities living within the United States? 

What consequences can be attributed to racism focusing on the context of American society? 

The research questions border on the understanding that racism has played a critical role in shaping the history of the United States. The history of racism within the context of American society touches on the fact that most of the minority communities find themselves facing severe threats of racial discrimination and social exclusion. 

Background and Discussion 

Historically, the United States has always been considered as one of the most socially diverse countries in the world accommodating people of different social and racial backgrounds. On the other hand, the state has also faced severe threats to the ethnic minorities focusing on the fact that they find themselves facing critical challenges in trying to fight for social equality and inclusivity. The main issue has been on the fact that racial minorities often find themselves facing discrimination on the basis of their race and ethnicity, which has had severe impacts on these communities. That means that it becomes hard for an individual to experience equality while in the American social context while considering the real differentiation in terms of race and ethnicity. 

In the 1960s, the Civil Rights Movement was viewed as one of the critical strategies by which racial minority communities would be able to build on an overall capacity to fight for equality. Although the fight for justice may have played a critical role in ensuring that the minority communities would get equal social representation, this can at a severe price for some of the leaders involved in the fight. Some of the key examples that can be seen are Martin Luther King Jr. and Malcolm X, both of who are considered as having played a crucial part in the fight for social justice focusing on the African American community. The main issue of focus has been on the fact that racism has been a part of American society for a long time, which means that white Americans often consider themselves as being superior. 

The fight by the Civil Rights Movement and other social movements played a crucial role in ensuring that the minority communities would get some form of equity within the American social context. The outcome of the fight is that it resulted in the formal abolishment of discrimination within the United States with the government putting in place laws and policies that govern the issue of discrimination as it relates to the history of the country. However, this did not have any notable impacts towards reducing the occurrence of the issue, as it only paved the way for racial in informal settings. One of the critical areas where racism has been noted is political representation whereby most of the minority communities lack useful political description focused on fighting for their rights and freedoms. That did not change even after the election of President Barack Obama in 2008 as the President of the United States considering that the racial minorities experienced socioeconomic inequality. 

The racism ideology can be traced back to the colonial era during which time the white Americans considered themselves as being superior in every sense. The thinking created a situation where the white Americans had legal and social privileges sanctioned, which were not prioritized when dealing with racial minorities. The outcome of this situation is that most of the white Americans found themselves in an environment that sought to build on the issue of racial discrimination and exclusion. It must also be noted that the issue of discrimination also touched on some of the larger minority communities, which included European Americans. Although the European Americans were given some privileges, they also experience xenophobic exclusion, as well as, critical issues of discrimination touching on their presence within the American social context. 

From a historical perspective, racism is viewed as being institution meaning that it is a practice that is passed on between generations, who inherit the overall idea of engaging in acts of racism as a way of highlight the superiority of the white Americans. The issue has created a situation where it has become hard for persons within the minority communities to get decent employment, housing, and other social amenities. The outcome is that it creates a significant challenge for the racial minorities to build on a proactive avenue through which to define their position within American society. Although the issue has been highlighted significantly, it can be noted that racism is a social issue that affects the United States today with racial minorities facing severe problems of discrimination. 

Literature Review 

If an average ‘person of color' was asked to describe him or herself using five descriptors, one of these descriptors would be race, which he or she would use to explain the difference in race and ethnicity (Miller & Garran, 2017). That perception has created a situation where most of the people within the United States find themselves facing severe challenges in going beyond the idea of race or ethnicity in describing others. Miller & Garran (2017) argue that the issue of racism can either be considered from the perspective of those that are dispossessed, who are nonwhites, and those that possessed, who are white Americans. The issue revolves around the fact that most of the nonwhites often find themselves facing severe challenges in their bid to achieving what can be described as social equality. 

Racism has been a key part of American history since the colonial era during which time the slave trade was rife within the United States. Zimring (2017) argues that the history of the United States cannot be evaluated without considering the impacts that racism has had on the minority communities. Most of the people sold as slaves were from the racial minority communities such as African Americans most of who settled in the United States after the abolishment of the trade. However, this paved the way for a new challenge considering that the former slaves found themselves in a society that viewed them as being inferior in every sense. The issue of racial segregation was evident during that period, as most of the persons from the minority communities experienced exclusion from the society; thus, serving as a clear indication that they would be in any position allowing them to achieve social equality (Zimring, 2017). 

‘ People of Color,' who in the social context as persons of African origin, often find themselves subjected to severe racial issues and discrimination, as they are viewed based on the color of their skin regardless of their social status (Spring, 2016). The American society has created stereotypic beliefs regarding persons from the minority communities most of which reflect on the fact that ought to be considered as being racially inferior when compared to the white Americans. Racial discrimination has created a situation where it has become somewhat hard or challenging for the persons from minority communities to achieve social equality, as it is expected that they would work harder when compared to the white Americans in everything that they do (Macedo & Gounari, 2015). 

The Great Migration 

Racism burst onto the national platform following the Great Migration, which resulted in millions of African American were relocated to different parts of the United States from the African continent. The migration, which occurred between 1910 and 1970, resulted in significant growth of the African American population from approximately 2% to 32.7%; thus, paving the way for a pressing need to create social inclusion for the African Americans coming into the United States (Paradies, 2016). During this period, the country also experienced a significant rise in other minority populations some of which included the Chinese and Hispanics. The relocation resulted in a situation where the racial balance was affected significantly, which paved the way for the occurrence of racism. 

The rapid rise in the population of the minority communities resulted in a situation where riots would occur in which white Americans would target members of the minority communities. The riots, which happened in the 1920s, were instigated by the fact that the white Americans sought to defend their social positions with acts of violence and intimidation (Paradies, 2016). The riots were considered as critical ways through which to ensure that the white Americas would be able to exert pressure on the African Americans and other racial minorities. Most of the white Americans viewed themselves as being superior when compared to the minority communities, which meant that their engagement in such acts of violence would only serve to support or define their social positions (Van Dijk, 2015). The ultimate result is that this paved the way for severe challenges for the minority communities, which experienced issues of exclusion and segregation as a result of their race and ethnicity. 

Social Perception of Race and Ethnicity 

The United States has embraced institutionalized racism, which has resulted in a situation where racism occurs as a social issue rather than having to be viewed as an isolated issue (Chae et al., 2018). That has created a situation where parents often teach their children to hate on persons from minority communities by showing them that they are superior in every sense of their being. However, this only seeks to create a situation where the issue of racism is passed from one generation to another, which defines institutional racism. When discussing the issue of racism, it becomes clear that most of the people in American society hold a discriminatory view is focusing on the subject of racism (Chae et al., 2018). The result of this is that it has created a negative perception towards the racial minority communities, as it becomes hard for them to cope with the social challenges that they encounter as a result of their race. 

The issue touching on racism has been projected from the fact that most of the people in American society often view race as one of the critical descriptors in their description of individuals. Spring (2016) argues that although race may serve as a vital descriptor when dealing with different individuals, it cannot be viewed as being the foundation on which to determine one's abilities. Instead, it should only be used to describe the race or ethnicity that one may belong. However, in the context of the United States, race determines the level of treatment that one would get from others within the social context, as people are often viewed based on their racial or ethnic background (Macedo & Gounari, 2015). The vital issue of concern is that this seeks to create a situation where it becomes hard for people from racial minority communities to achieve some of their societal goals and objectives. 

1980-Present 

An analysis of the issue of racism from 1980 to present suggests that although the overall levels of racism have reduced significantly, it remains as a serious issue facing the racial minorities living within the United States (Gillborn, 2016). It is equally important to take note of the fact that racism can be viewed from a societal context while considering that most of the white Americans often find themselves propagating racism in every area of life. The primary challenge that the racial minority communities tend to experience is that they suffer severe exclusion issues based, solely, on their race. That has raised serious questions on whether the country is moving in the right direction in terms of dealing with the issue of racism, which has plagued the country for an extended period. 

Consequences of Racism 

Considering that racism involves discrimination against minority groups within the United States, there are significant consequences associated with the issue. The results play an important role in portraying the impact of racism within different levels in society. Although there are measures implemented to deal with cases associated with racism in the United States, the minority communities continue to face significant challenges related to racism thus creating a significant impact on their livelihoods in the society. The consequences of racism within the United States range from minor to principal based on the nature of discrimination against the minority communities. The consequences include developmental impact, societal, and institutional impact faced by minority communities experiencing different types of racism in American society. Different types of racial discrimination activities result in different kinds of consequences considering that each of the results is based on the nature of discrimination. 

Developmental Consequences 

Racial discrimination is a significant element that interferes with the healthy development of the affected people in the society. According to Troyna & Hatcher (2018), a high-frequency rate of racial discrimination activities results in a significant interference on the physical, psychological, emotional, and social development of individuals in the minority communities. To begin with, the affected people tend to face issues related to physical development, which is an aspect that influences their physical health. Majority of the individuals facing racial discrimination tend to develop physical illnesses, which is attributed to lack of access to quality healthcare services that help in enhancing the wellness of individuals in society. Additionally, this has resulted in a population decrease considering that individuals from the minority groups tend to experience a high mortality rate due to the high prevalence of chronic illness, attributed to lack of quality healthcare. The relationship between racial discrimination and physical ailments is indicated in a situation where the affected communities tend to face slow growth and development thus resulting in physical issues. 

The second critical issue relating to consequences in development entails the effect of psychological stress, which is an aspect that is associated with racism among the minority communities within the United States. Considering that racism involves issues such as stigmatization and discrimination, the majority of individuals facing such problems tend to develop psychological and emotional stress, which is an aspect that influences their mental health and positive relations. According to Troyna & Hatcher (2018), racism results in segregation of the minority groups leading to an increase in poverty rates. Discrimination of specific members of the society is a crucial factor that influences individual and communal development considering that the discriminated individuals tend to lack access to essential amenities such as quality education, employment, and proper healthcare. As a result of poverty, minority groups tend to engage in criminal activities, which create a significant threat to their lives. The engagement of in illegal activities plays a substantial role in reducing the mortality rate of the community members considering that majority tend to die at a young age due to the risk associated with engaging in the criminal activities. 

Societal Consequences 

The issue of racism in the United States has impacted the society considering that majority of the Native Americans have not embraced positive relations among all individuals in the society. The first notable societal consequence entails the development of schemas and stereotypes of African Americans. The African Americans are the minority groups in the United States thus experiences stigma and stereotypes based on their racial differences. The most common stereotype develop in this case include the use of the blackface and the dark-skinned "mammy" to represent the African Americans. To enable the development and spread of the schemas and stereotypes of the minority groups in the United States, the media has played a crucial role as it capitalizes on the presentation and display of the stereotypes. According to Love (2017), the media can reinforce or change the stereotypes based on the strategies and procedures used to represent the minority groups. 

The second crucial factor in societal consequences entails the development of formal discrimination, which is an aspect that entails the creation of political and economic boundaries based on race. In that case, political rights such as the right to vote within a given society are divided based on racial background thus resulting in the denial of fundamental reasons for the minority groups within the organization. Another major societal consequence involves the development of Interpersonal discrimination. Racism in the society interferes with individuals' relations of the members of the minority communities resulting in a situation whereby the members begin to discriminate each other. According to Love (2017), the daily repetition of racism within a given environment results in the creation of a perception that suggests that the activities are warranted to happen in the way they do thus result in a situation where individuals begin to discriminate each other. 

Institutional Consequences 

According to Gillborn (2016), institutional racism is a significant consequence of racism that influences the attitudes and structure if the established institutions in society. In that case, racism creates a situation that disadvantages the minority communities in the organization thus resulting in discrimination and denial of access to essential amenities in the society. Though the social stereotypes created, the minority communities tend to face challenges in that limit their ability to accumulate wealth and engage in educational and occupational activities in society. The institutions tend to offers services based on race, which is an aspect that influences the efficiency of services offered within the institutions. An example of racism in the institution entails residential racial segregation, which is an aspect that results in the segregation of institutions such as schools, considering that their schools meant for the whites and those indicated for the African Americans. 

Another crucial aspect focusing on racial discrimination within the institutions entails the denial of access to immigration facilities for the members of the minority communities. In this case, the African Americans are denied access to acquiring American citizenship, thus excluding the non-whites the right to become citizens. The racial discrimination in immigration plays a significant role in discouraging immigrants from settling in the United States considering that they do not receive citizenship. Additionally, the issue of acquisition of property and wealth becomes a difficult aspect considering that the non-whites do not accept the platform to acquire wealth following racial discrimination. Lastly, denial of access to politics and access to proper healthcare services is a crucial issue resulting from racial discrimination considering that members of the minority community are denied access to political rights and access to healthcare services in institutions defined for the whites. 

Conclusion 

In summary, since the colonial period, racial turmoil has remained as one of the critical social issues affecting the United States with the majority communities using this as a social tool allowing them to control the minority communities. The minority communities found themselves facing severe challenges in their bid towards promoting equality. The main issue has been on the fact that racial minorities often find themselves facing discrimination on the basis of their race and ethnicity. The fight by the Civil Rights Movement and other social movements played a crucial role in ensuring that the minority communities would get some form of equity within the American social context. The racism ideology can be traced back to the colonial era during which time the white Americans considered themselves as being superior in every sense. 

The issue has created a situation where it has become hard for persons within the minority communities to get decent employment, housing, and other social amenities. Racism has been a key part of American history since the colonial era during which time the slave trade was rife within the United States. The rapid rise in the population of the minority communities resulted in a situation where riots would occur in which white Americans would target members of the minority communities. The issue touching on racism has been projected from the fact that most of the people in American society often view race as one of the critical descriptors in their description of individuals. 

References 

Chae, D. H., Clouston, S., Martz, C. D., Hatzenbuehler, M. L., Cooper, H. L., Turpin, R., ... & Kramer, M. R. (2018). Area racism and birth outcomes among Blacks in the United States.  Social Science & Medicine ,  199 , 49-55. 

Gillborn, D. (2016). Critical Race Theory beyond North America: Towards a Trans-Atlantic Dialogue on Racism and Antiracism in Educational Theory and Praxis. Critical race theory in education  (pp. 97-122). Routledge. 

Love, E. (2017).  Islamophobia and racism in America . NYU Press. 

Macedo, D., & Gounari, P. (2015).  Globalization of racism . Routledge. 

Miller, J., & Garran, A. M. (2017).  Racism in the United States: Implications for the helping professions . Springer Publishing Company. 

Paradies, Y. (2016). Colonization, racism and indigenous health.  Journal of Population Research ,  33 (1), 83-96. 

Spring, J. (2016).  Deculturalization and the struggle for equality: A brief history of the education of dominated cultures in the United States . Routledge. 

Troyna, B., & Hatcher, R. (2018).  Racism in children's lives: A study of mainly-white primary schools . Routledge. 

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