Which question does Grouping A answer? (answer key at bottom of page)
1. In the United States, how do we determine who is black and who is white?
2. How did white become the free and black the enslaved?
3. White is “the standard.” What does that mean?
4. Why White?
5. When words are inadequate, how can the arts help us feel the emotions of race?
6. If you do not identify as black or white, where do you fit into the conversation about race?
7. How did white become the pure category and black the contaminating one?
Map by Tabitha Kelly, Commissioned by MCRC Project
The Scale of the European Takeover
The Europeans colonized much of the planet, including the lands that would become the United States. The European takeover began in 1492 and reached its peak between 1870 and 1914. The violent subjugation of soil, resources, and peoples was bolstered by the mindset that the label “White” signified superiority and was associated with everything good.
Many Touching Noble Things
In his 1851 novel Moby-Dick. Herman Melville describes an extensive list of associations that the word “white” had already evoked, even before the word became a label for a racial category. Melville wrote, “Whiteness is made the emblem of many touching, noble things—the innocence of brides . . . the deepest pledge of honor . . . the majesty of Justice . . .”
Collage designed by Tabitha Kelly using artwork from Library of Congress and photographs from White House. Public domain. Commissioned by the MCRC Project.
Collage designed by Tabitha Kelly using artwork and photographs from Library of Congress. Public domain. Commissioned by the MCRC Project.
In Need of an Opposite
Europeans reinforced the idea of a White race by applying the label “Black” to peoples of African descent. From their perspective, Black was the ideal label because of its opposition to White. Black evoked then—and does still today—unshakable associations with darkness, evil, death, danger, and sin.
Adoption certificate issued to Joan Ferrante.
Urgent Mission
The European takeover was “softened” with images of babies the Christian religion deemed pagan. At the time, pagan was especially used in reference to any non-Christian person living outside of the United States or Europe. The urgent mission to baptize, or to save, pagan babies was just one of many strategies Europeans employed to take attention away from the takeover. Notice the larger White baby Jesus feeding three smaller babies—one Black appearing, one Asian appearing, and one Hispanic or Native American appearing. In schools across the United States, millions of children (with the help of their parents and teachers) raised money to pay for the cost of the baptism of pagan babies.
answer key
grouping a answers question 4
Why White?
