History 105-14
March 13th 2013
The Evolution of Racial Inequality
On a day to day basis, humans interact with one another, despite of their race or ethnic descent. However, that is not the way it has always been. Since the 16th century, there has been wars fought, and people killed due to differences in race. Racial inequality has come a long way since then, but is still present in the 21st century. Most societies deny that racial inequality is still present today, but the fact of the matter, it is.
The term “race” is used to define a single human being. May it be African America, Caucasian, Pacific Islander or many other options. On job applications, doctor and dental forms, college applications and many other forms of documents, society is forced to check a box that identifies them. The question of the matter is what does it matter? The term “race” came from racism itself. Dating back to the 16th century segregation has played a key role in history. Not only for the United States, but worldwide. When societies began to see differences in cultures, such as having that different skin color, different foods or different languages, the different communities formed hatreds for others who were labeled as “different”. This began the racist movement that we still see today. Groups began having different names or titles which is now considered a race of people.
Since the sixteenth century, race and racial inequality has changed in multiple ways. For example, in 1904 the European powers began taking over southern Africa where the ethnic group Herrera’s resided. The Europeans began moving the Herrera’s to concentration camps to kill them, all for land. In the 1940’s Hitler wanted to form a new order of Nazi Germany. He did this by forcing the Jewish, African Americans, and any other race that was not European or at the least resembled European decent to concentration camps. Just like the Herrera’s the majority of those placed in these camps were
Bibliography: Fredrickson, George. “ Racism, A Short History”. (Princeton University Press) Peabody, Sue.” Slavery, Freedom, and Law in The Atlantic World”. (Boston: Bedfords/St.Martins) Rosenburg, Paul.” Birth Certificates and Unconscious Racism”. (Aljazeera, 11 May 2011) -------------------------------------------- [ 1 ]. Sue Peabody, Slavery, Freedom, and Law in The Atlantic World. (Boston: Bedfords/St.Martins) [ 2 ]. George Fredrickson, Racism, A Short History. (Princeton University Press) [ 3 ]. Paul Rosenburg, Birth Certificates and Unconscious Racism. (Aljazeera, 11 May 2011)