Racism in the XXI century

Unleashing the worst of America

Patricio Contreras

Context

slavery

African americans|slavery

• End of XVIII century: 20% of inhabitants were slaves

• 1863: Emancipation Proclamation Act

• Segregation: in the north (de facto); in the south (de jure)

• 2007: 40 millions of african americans Slaves in chains

Mauk & Oakland; American Civilization, p. 94-100

slavery

African americans|slavery

«Four score and seven years ago our fathers brought forth on this

continent a new nation, conceived in Liberty, and

dedicated to the proposition that all men

are created equal».

Gettysburg Address, 1863

hate

African americans|hate

• 1866: south veterans of the Civil War create the Ku Klux Klan

• 1871: Klansmen are prosecuted

• 1915: rise of the new Klan. It was anti-jewis-catholic-communist and immigrant

Ku Klux Klan, since 1865

Ward; The Rough Guide History of the USA, p. 189-191, 237

poverty

African americans|poverty

• 2005: Hurricane Katrina shows the invisible

• Unemployment and poverty: twice the rate of white people

• 2006: end of affirmative action in state’s universities in Michigan

• Three black senators elected since 1945Hurricane Katrina, 2005

Mauk & Oakland; American Civilization, p. 94-100

Three examples

Greenville, Miss

Indianapolis, Indiana

Elkhart, Indiana

• Indiana: its poverty rate has increased

• 2007: – 25.5% of blacks lived

below the poverty line– 10,4% of whites

• 2009:– 28.1% of blacks living

below the poverty line– 11% of whites

Opposition or something else?

Obama says that the health care reform he proposed would not cover illegal immigrants as some

had alleged in their criticism of the health care plan.

Senator Joseph Wilson:«You lie!»

• Where does honest opposition ends

and racism begins?