Repreting Whiteness In The Black Imagination: Chapter Analysis

Within bell hooks’ chapter entitled, Representing Whiteness in the Black Imagination, which was published in the edited volume, Cultural Studies, hooks addresses the term “whiteness” in regards to suspicion, fear, and hatred, all of which are coming from an angry place in the minds of a black person. As a consequence of white racist domination, many black people do not know how to separate themselves from “whiteness”, leaving them unable to see themselves as their own person. This essay will primarily focus on how “whiteness” is a privilege, whereas the “other”, in this case, coloured people, are often left defeated. This essay will also explore the ‘idea’ that racism no longer exists, and incorporate other authors such as Ruth Frankenberg,