The first Black slaves were brought to America in 1619. As slavery developed and took a socio-econimic foothold in the new country so did mythical beliefs of White's perceptions of Blacks. Don't forget the fact that for 244 years Whites 'owned' Blacks and therefore generations of Whites grew up with the misconception that Blacks were endowed with greater physical strength but at the same time had lesser capacity in intellect when compared to Whites.
Long after the emancipation of Blacks the obstacles for them to achieve were difficult if not nearly impossible. In track and field White America applauded a Black guy named Jessie Owens who stuck it in Adolf Hitler's ass during the 1936 Berlin Olympics. Before that Boxing Champion, Jack Johnson caught America's eyes. It was in the late 1940's that Jackie Robinson and Larry Doby endured the slings, arrows and race baiting ugliness of White baseball fans and other White players. Even as the Black man proved his worthiness on the sports' stage it wasn't good enough to earn him a place at the table, same restrooms or any bus seat with Whites. Nothing illustrates this better than when a 22 year old Cassius Clay dethroned Sonny Liston to claim the World Boxing Championship but later realizing he would be denied service at a lunch counter back in his hometown of Louisville, Kentucky. Then Whites vilified a Muhammad Ali for refusing to serve in a USA military.
As some laws demanded equality, i.e., civil rights, voting rights and federal laws prohibiting job discrimination, White people still get pissed off if a person of color dares to speak his political opinion or protest against or for a cause. An NFL player kneeling during the National Anthem sets off the anger of a President who lied about a his own physical disability to avoid military service for that country. Fox News anchor, Laura Ingraham probably epitomized that 'White' superior attitude when after NBA player LaBron James spoke out about politics. Ingraham said, "I'm not interested in the political advice from someone who gets paid 100 million dollars a year to bounce a ball...shut up and dribble." Ingraham also took the opportunity to make light of James' language skills saying his speech was "Barely intelligible and ungrammatical." She could have added what many Whites have said for centuries, 'Those people need to know their place.' Perhaps Trump said it another way when on the heels of the NBA boycotting games after a police killing of a Black man, Trump suggested The NBA is a political organization. In short a group largely comprised of Blacks should not have an opinion.
I am a privileged White American. Thank God I was not born Black in this country. I cannot imagine the hardships facing my brothers and sisters of color. Make no mistake this imbedded sin of bigotry and racism in our beloved America is coming to a sociological crescendo with the 2020 Presidential election. This election is all about COLORS: It's about Green, White & Black; not Red, White & Blue.
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