In his book, Donald Yacovone argues that the intentional creation of white supremacy has allowed racial injustice to continue to exist in America. He shows how this racial construct has been institutionalized in history and how it was consistent with calls for freedom. He also chronologically traces the development of this racial structure.
In 1701, John Saffin was a prominent judge in Massachusetts. According to Yacovone, he argued that equality would “invert the order” that God had established. This statement, which immediately preceded the establishment of slavery and Virginia's representative government, was made during the country's early stages.
Yacovone argues that this idea reinforced the racial inferiority that Americans had already established. It would also define who would be considered a citizen in the country.
Despite the South's responsibility for the oppression of African-Americans, the North also contributed to the development of the racial structure in the country. According to Yacovone, the North's subtle racial discrimination and segregation had long-lasting effects. The South's disregard for African-Americans was more evident than how they were treated in the United States during slavery.
In his book, Yacovone talks about how the development of the educational standards in the country was influenced by the ideas of racial supremacy.
One of the most prominent educators in the history of public education was Samuel Dutton, who wrote the "Morse Speller." In this book, he stated that the Caucasian race was being asked to "civilize and educate the world" due to its physical and mental superiority. This idea was intentionally passed on to teachers through the preparation of various materials.
According to Yacovone, the North's cautious acceptance of the Emancipation Proclamation following the Civil War was too much for the White South. This led to educational repercussions. The influence of John H. Van Evrie's works also had an effect on textbooks.
The North's acceptance of white supremacy helped pave the way for the establishment of a more permanent national unity. This was also the reason why the story about this racial construct would be told in history and textbooks.
Prior to the start of the Reconstruction era, Black students had the chance to learn about their own history, but this was often treated as if it were the history of their own people instead of the entire country's history. Because of this, notable African-American writers such as Charles Carelton Coffin, Thomas Wentworth Higginson, and Elijah Mulford were regarded as progressive.
The prevalence of racial supremacy narratives in textbooks and American history eventually overshadowed the positive portrayal of African-Americans. When Blacks were not completely excluded from the history of the country, the "Lost Cause" dogma's portrayal of them as lazy and inferior would dominate the textbooks.
During the post-Reconstruction era, academicians such as William A. Dunning and John W. Burgess were able to share the stories of African-Americans in the country. Their contributions greatly influenced the students' perceptions of American history and race.
Despite the Jim Crow discrimination that still persisted during the early 1900s, African-Americans were able to make significant progress in their economic and social development. Yacovone noted that the establishment of Black churches and colleges, as well as the support of prominent African-American intellectuals such as W.E.B. Du Bois and Booker T. Washington, gave them a great opportunity to share their stories.
During the early 20th century, many white Americans started to reject abolitionist books that portrayed the country as a violent and dangerous place. This was due to the increasing anger about the critical race theory. It was believed that histories that talked about the oppression of African-Americans would prevent the country from remembering its achievements. Unfortunately, the people who led and taught America during this period were the ones who had the most influence on the country's current state.
The preceding is a summary of an article that originally appeared on The Daily Cable.
