1. Thomas Jefferson
Wrote “all men are created equal” but owned over 200 slaves
Said blacks were probably a different race so they didn’t count as men (justified taking away their freedom)
Said it would be up to science to prove

2. Americans are White
Indentured servants from Europe only worked for 5-7 years before they were freed and given their own land
Some ran away to live with Native American tribes
After U.S. independence, Britain was no longer allowed to send their prisoners

3. Africans are Black
African slaves were “better” labor because they could be identified by color
They did not have to be freed or given land
Their children were automatically born into slavery
Slaves became property, not people
subhuman

4. Native Americans are White
At first, they said Native Americans were white people with a tan
It was America’s duty to civilize them
If they were white, then they could share the land together

5. Native American are Red
Even though attempts to civilize Native Americans were working (like the “Five Civilized Tribes”), they were no longer considered white
They too became a lesser race which justified taking away their lands
Indians became savage beasts (animals), not people
subhuman

6. Andrew Jackson
Elected because he was a “man of the people,” someone who fought for the little guy
In reality he was a rich slave owner
Signed the Indian Removal Act of 1830 to move all Native Americans east of the Mississippi River into Indian Territory (Oklahoma)
Trail of Tears

7. Mexicans are Brown
Mexicans were a mix of whites and Indians, but considered uncivilized mongrels
Reverend Theodore Parker
“mongrel” is a derogatory term for mixed races
The only thing “worse” than lesser races was whites mixing with lesser races
This justified taking their land in the Mexican American War
subhuman

8. Race
A social idea that artificially divides people into distinct groups based on physical appearance (mainly color), ancestral heritage, and culture

9. Social Darwinism
Applying Darwin’s “survival of the fittest” to social classes
Supported the idea that it was okay for unfit peoples to suffer and die out

10. Eugenics
The science that “proved” that whites were superior genetically
This made miscegenation a terrible thing because it polluted the gene pool
This idea started with the goal of selective breeding to get rid of “diseases and undesirable traits” but ended with mass extermination by the Nazis

11. Miscegenation
When people of different races mix through marriage, living together, having sex, or having children
In the 1690’s the colonies started passing laws making interracial marriage illegal (replacing laws prohibiting marriage between free people and slaves/indentured servants regardless of color)
The last of these anti-miscegenation laws were repealed in 1967

12. Individual Racism Beliefs, attitudes, and actions that support racism
It can be intentional or unconscious

13. Cultural Racism
The idea that white culture is “normal, good, right” and everything else is an “alternative, bad, wrong”
Language, clothing, physical characteristics, music, traditions, entertainment, history, heroes

14. Internalized Racism
When people of an oppressed group believe some or all of the lies and stereotypes about their group
Most of the time they are unconscious that they have adopted racist views about themselves

15. Institutional Racism
People of color are underrepresented in the media and in history books
System of automatically discriminating against non-whites and giving privileges to whites

16. de jur Segregation
Separation of people based on their race that is required by law
aka Jim Crow Laws, these segregation laws all ended by the mid-1960’s
Housing, transportation, education, occupation, public services, private services

17. de facto Segregation
Segregation that happens “as a matter of fact” or as a result of other things like where you live or go to school
This does not include voluntary segregation like Historically Black colleges or a Hispanic Student Association

18. White Privilege
The unquestioned and unearned set of benefits given to people just because they are white
Most of the time they are unconscious that they are receiving these privileges

19. White Flight
The pattern of white people moving out to the suburbs when cities became more ethnically mixed in the 1950’s
This was in response to desegregation and the Great Migration of blacks leaving the south
This was made possible by GI grants for returning veterans

20. Ethnic Studies
A victory of the Civil Rights era that introduced new ways of studying sociology, history, English, etc.
Instead of always approaching topics from a Eurocentric perspective, these classes look at the perspectives and contributions of other racial groups

21. Reparations Payments that redress (make up for) an injustice
The Japanese American Citizen’s League finally won reparations and a formal apology for internment in 1988, receiving $20,000 for every person interned
African Americans have been seeking reparations for slavery since the 1950’s, but only received a formal apology in 2008

22. Affirmative Action
Policies in education, employment, and business that favor women and people of color in an effort to make up for past discrimination
Started in 1961 by JFK, these policies were controversial in the 70’s and 90’s

23. Model Minority The minority group that is the most successful
They are used to prove that the system works and is not biased