Colonialism in America transitioned into white supremacy through a complex interplay of historical events and ideologies, particularly after the enactment of antimiscegenation laws. The evolution from colonialism to white supremacy can be understood through the lens of settler colonialism, deeply rooted in the establishment of white dominance and the marginalization of Indigenous peoples (Jongbloed, 2023). Settler colonialism, as a system of power rooted in white supremacy, aimed to eliminate Indigenous populations and assert settler rights to Indigenous lands (Jongbloed, 2023). This process involved the extermination of Native Americans and the enslavement of African descendants, which became instruments of institutionalized white supremacist terror (Shor, 2019).
The shift from colonialism to white supremacy also involved the consolidation of power structures that accentuated white power and domination, leading to the exploitation and social exclusion of people of color in settler colonial states (Bonds & Inwood, 2016). White supremacy, as a concept, is deeply intertwined with the logics of capitalism, colonialism, and war, with anti-black racism, genocide, and orientalism serving as the primary anchors for these systems (Belcourt, 2014). These logics of white supremacy perpetuated the subjugation of non-white populations and the reinforcement of white dominance in various spheres of society.
Antimiscegenation laws played a significant role in solidifying white supremacy in America by enforcing racial segregation and prohibiting interracial marriages (Campbell & Lawford, 2021). These laws were a manifestation of eugenics, a construct of white supremacy aimed at maintaining white power by promoting white fertility while restricting the fertility of racialized populations (Campbell & Lawford, 2021). The implementation of such laws further entrenched racial hierarchies and reinforced the notion of white superiority.
Moreover, the development of racial capitalism and the expansion of colonial white supremacy contributed to the entrenchment of white dominance in American society (Williams & Embrick, 2023). Racial capitalism, as a system that exploits racialized labor for economic gain, was intertwined with the development of colonial white supremacy, leading to the marginalization and exploitation of non-white populations (Williams & Embrick, 2023). This economic exploitation further perpetuated systems of oppression and reinforced white supremacist ideologies.
In the realm of education, the perpetuation of white supremacy was evident through the lack of racial analysis and the perpetuation of white privilege within academic scholarship (Bell, 2020). The educational system served as a vehicle for the reproduction of white dominance, with curricula often failing to address the root causes of oppression and perpetuating non-specific study measures that overlooked the impacts of white supremacy (Bell, 2020). This failure to critically engage with issues of race and oppression within educational settings contributed to the perpetuation of white supremacist ideologies.
In conclusion, the transition from colonialism to white supremacy in America was a complex process influenced by historical events, ideologies, and systems of power. Settler colonialism, racial capitalism, and the enforcement of antimiscegenation laws all played significant roles in solidifying white dominance and marginalizing non-white populations. The entrenchment of white supremacy in various spheres of society, including education, economics, and law, perpetuated systems of oppression and reinforced racial hierarchies. Understanding this evolution is crucial for addressing the legacy of white supremacy and working towards a more equitable and just society.
References:
Belcourt, B. (2014). Animal bodies, colonial subjects: (re)locating animality in decolonial thought. Societies, 5(1), 1-11. https://doi.org/10.3390/soc5010001
Bell, B. (2020). White dominance in nursing education: a target for anti‐racist efforts. Nursing Inquiry, 28(1). https://doi.org/10.1111/nin.12379
Bonds, A. and Inwood, J. (2016). Beyond white privilege. Progress in Human Geography, 40(6), 715-733. https://doi.org/10.1177/0309132515613166
Campbell, E. and Lawford, K. (2021). Combating physician-assisted genocide and white supremacy in healthcare through anti-oppressive pedagogies in canadian medical schools to prevent the coercive and forced sterilization of indigenous women. Inyi Journal, 11(1). https://doi.org/10.25071/1929-8471.86
Jongbloed, K. (2023). Towards untying colonial knots in canadian health systems: a net metaphor for settler-colonialism. Healthcare Management Forum, 36(4), 228-234. https://doi.org/10.1177/08404704231168843
Shor, F. (2019). The long life of us institutionalized white supremacist terror. Critical Sociology, 46(1), 5-18. https://doi.org/10.1177/0896920519855775
Williams, J. and Embrick, D. (2023). Moving beyond obfuscating racial microaggression discourse. Social Inclusion, 11(2). https://doi.org/10.17645/si.v11i2.6403