Racism A Long Way Down The American History - 1426 Words

Kennedy Okumu Professor Jenia Walter English 121 November 15, 2015 Racism goes a long way down the American history. It came as a result of slavery which began in 1619 when African slaves were brought to Jamestown, Virginia, which was an American colony in the North, to help in producing crops such as tobacco. Slavery was then a common practice in all American colonies through the 17th and 18th centuries, where African slaves helped in building the economic foundations of the now American nation. Slavery was then spread to the South in 1793, with the new invention of the cotton gin. About halfway through the 19th century, there was immense westward expansion in America, together with the spreading abolition movement in the North,†¦show more content†¦It ruins the day to day cooperation, promotes hate and war among neighbors, social injustice practices, decrease the rate of productivity at work, and promotes fear and tension in our lives. It is destroys what we have built, and argues that the quality of a human being is based on the color of their skin and not the content of one s behaviors and acts. According to Merriam-Webster’s online dictionary, Racism is defined as, â€Å"a belief that race is the primary determinant of human traits and capacities and that racial differences produce an inherent superiority of a particular race†. It is the most arrogant form of pride. It can be cultural, systematic, individual or even institutional. On the other hand, there is stereotypes. Merriam-Webster’s online dictionary defines them as, â€Å"an often unfair and untrue belief that many people have about all people or things with a particular characteristic. â€Å"Racism and stereotype are often confusing and many people have misused or misunderstood one or the other while others have argued that stereotype is a form of racism. There is more than enough proof that we are not born racist but are rather taught to be racist. It could be intentionally or unintentionally passed on to a generation by innocent parents and through the day-to-day social interaction in our society. â€Å"Race is a sociohistorical concept that has been defined by a rigidly enforced color line.