Suliana Fauonuku

HUMA 1100- Blythe

Roots of Racism

The first step in analyzing white supremacy and racism in modern America is to define it.

White supremacy, by definition, is the belief that white people are superior to those of all other

races (White Supremacy, n.d.). Today, white supremacy can be defined as the power white

people have to partake of more privilege and exceptions than someone of another race. Racism,

by definition, is the hatred or intolerance of another race or all other races (Racism, n.d.).

Today, racism can be defined as the means of action most commonly used by white supremacists

in order to inflict white power. There may be a debate as to whether white supremacy and racism

even exist today. Id suggest that these terms are highly relevant and related to the social

problems of today.

Media, specifically music and film, gives a powerful platform for any individual to

declare their position on social issues. In it we can observe that many artists, particularly African

Americans, address the problems of todays racism. Beyonc, a music mogul in todays

entertainment industry, symbolically memorializes the racism surrounding slavery in early

America. One of her recent singles, Love Drought from her album Lemonade (2016), is about

the Igbo Landing suicide (para. 2). As Beyonc sings of how her love with her husband can stop

disasters like drought, her music video tells another symbolic story. In the music video, she and

other women are tied and connected by ropes; the setting is on the shore of the beach as they

slowly walk into the ocean. At Igbo Landing, a number of slaves overtook the slave ship they

were in and brought it to land. Instead of submitting to slavery and capture, they walk into the
shore of the ocean, connected by chains, and drown themselves. Beyoncs portrayal of slavery

indicates that many African American are still tied to the same issues of the past no matter how

much time is past. Another example of media expressing racism from white supremacy is the

recent film titled Get Out (2017), directed and written by well-known African American

comedian Jordan Peele. In it, an African American male comes across odd, psychologically

twisted, high-class white Americans while visiting his white girlfriends parents. The entire plot

of these white Americans is to surgically and hypnotically take the talents (ie. photographic

eye, physical stature, sex appeal, etc.) of African Americans and literally use it themselves.

This depiction implies how white supremacy takes what they want from black culture and uses it

in their own ways, ignoring and giving no credit to struggles black communities face despite the

talents or uses they have. The film also hints at slavery, black housemaid help, and police

brutality, all of which are major issues involving racism often expressed in other mediums.

From the Emmett Till incident wrongfully punished on the basis of his color, to the

declaration of living beyond stereotypes in Maya Angelous Graduation (para. 1) piece, one

cannot deny how much racism and white supremacy influence society. A significant indication

of this underlying racism in America is in data gained from incarceration and crime rates. The

13th, a Netflix original crime film/documentary, discusses modern slavery is in the form of

incarcerating a mass number of African Americans and making them work in prison. This

documentary alludes to the idea that primary problems in American history never actually go

away, theres simply a break and then the next generation faces its own version of it.

Though found in many forms, racism still exists today with modern twists and changes

from how it was in the past. Racism is rooted in the foundation of many nations, especially the
United States. The oppression races feel from another race has been an existing issue for

centuries, and has not yet died out. Methods and works of white supremacy have changed, and

racism has changed with it also. Especially today, one cannot dissociate white supremacy with

racism because they are so deeply rooted and interrelated with each other. Like a metaphorical

portmanteau of two ideals rather than two words, racism and white supremacy are connected in

American history at least. White supremacy has changed to be more commonly associated with

conservative principles, ever present in higher authority positions.

The power and influence of white supremacy trickle with an internal desire to be the

superior in knowledge, money, physical stature, and many other aspects. Racism has changed to

be an undisturbed topic that many do not want to talk about anymore for fear of offending

another. However, when talked about it is viewed as a plea of desperation and attention to

reassess problems of the past; which is why it still exists because few seek to change it.
 Works Cited

Angelou, M. (n.d.). Graduation. Retrieved from

http://www.eacfaculty.org/pchidester/101%20files/Graduation.pdf

Averick, S., Barish, H. (Producers), & DuVernay, A. (Director). (2016). 13th [Motion Picture].
United States: Kandoo Films.

Blum, J., Hamm, T., McKittrick, S. (Producers), & Peele, J. (Director). (2017). Get Out [Motion
Picture]. United States: Blumhouse.

Carter-Knowles, Beyonc. (2016). Love Drought. On Lemonade [CD]. Los Angeles, CA.

Jaguda. (May 2016). How Beyoncs Love Drought Video Relates to Slavery & The Igbo
Landing.
Retrieved from
http://jaguda.com/2016/05/09/how-beyonces-love-drought-video-relates-to-slavery-the-ig
bo-landing/

Racism. [Def. 3]. (n.d.). In Dictionary.com Online, Retrieved March 9, 2017 from
http://www.dictionary.com/browse/racism?s=tn

White Supremacy. [Def. 1]. In Dictionary.com Online, Retrieved March 9, 2017 from
http://www.dictionary.com/browse/white-supremacy?s=t