Emma G. - C.S.A.: The Confederate States of America



Since chattel slavery in the United States, there has been a bias within American culture painting those with dark skin as indecent, childish, ignorant, helpless, and evil while those with white skin are believed to be decent, mature, intelligent, and good. This bias has been crafted as American society was built on a racist foundation. “Race science” was an idea crafted by early scientists that “proved” that different races evolved differently which led to different characteristics among races. However, racism among the scientist community and improper standardization techniques allowed for these incorrect findings to be published and shared with the public. The pseudo-scientific language from these studies allowed for the concept of whites being naturally superior whereas blacks were naturally inferior. These findings were the justification for unethical treatment of those with darker skin as they were deemed to have less desirable traits. Although modern science has deemed a lot of this research to be a hoax, many still deny the racist history of America. In the article “The Double Terror of Being Black in America,” Ibram X. Kendi states, “Racist theories deny the racist structure of American policies, the ubiquity of racist violence, and the obvious and ongoing structural violence revealed by racial disparities. The heartbeat of being racist is denial.” This denial fuels what the article details as a “double terror” to Black Americans: racist policy and racist violence. The allowance of racism via our legal systems and the freedom of speech allow for racist imagery and language to persist. In the film, “The C.S.A.: The Confederate States of America,” advertisements within the film are filled with racist language and imaging. The content of them made them extremely challenging to watch; However, at the end of the film it is revealed that similar advertisements and products were sold throughout the 20th century in the United States. Without legal repercussions and freedom of speech, racist media and language will continue to persist.

Comments

  1. Catherine BolzendahlJanuary 27, 2023 at 2:47 PM

    Science must always struggle to acknowledge its biases. All science is biased in the questions we ask, the data we use, and the ways we discuss and disseminate our findings. Shining a light on this leads to better science and knowledge. Anti-black sentiment was weaponized by many sectors of the white scientific community to protects - consciously and unconsciously - their belief in their own superiority.

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