Lecture on the History of Racism and Slavery

Emergence of Racism

• Racism developed in the 16th and 17th centuries, mainly associated with slavery and early colonialism.
• Concept of race created to justify European domination over non-Europeans.
• Economic motives were primary in the development of the slave system.

British Slave Trade

• British involvement in slave trade driven by economic profit, not initial racism.
• Africans were dehumanized, seen as trade items.
• John Hawkins, first English trader to kidnap slaves, later knighted despite his actions.

Impact on Africa

• Several African coastal regions and rulers involved in the slave trade.
• Prominent slave trading posts existed, like Bunce Island.

Middle Passage

• Over 11 million Africans transported across the Atlantic; at least 2 million died.
• Slaves faced extreme dehumanization and brutal conditions.

Justification and Consolidation of Slave Societies

• Slaves seen as deracinated and socially dead, giving masters absolute power.
• Mutual fear between slaves and masters solidified racial feelings and necessitated arming white populations.

Native American Atrocities

• Europeans, especially Spaniards, committed atrocities against Native populations, often seen as sub-human (e.g., Bartolomé de las Casas' accounts).
• Debate in Valladolid in 1550 questioned if Indians were human; led to banning Indian slavery but increased African slavery.

Development of Biological Racism

• Encounters with different skin colors led to theories of biological differences and racism.
• Pre-Adamism and polygenism theories suggested multiple origins of human races.
• Misconceptions about Africans being part-animal emerged in the 17th century.

Cultural Representations

• Shakespeare's 'The Tempest' portrayed the character Caliban as a rebellious black slave.
• Early modern English society used cultural symbols to justify and depict racial hierarchies.

Role of Christianity

• Christianity initially accepted slavery; later saw movements against it, notably among the Quakers.
• The curse of Ham from the Bible was used to justify racial slavery.

Native American Relations

• British policies like the 1763 Proclamation Line aimed to manage relations with Native Americans but led to tensions with settlers.
• Instances of massacres of Native Americans, such as the Moravian Christian Indians in Pennsylvania.

Enlightenment and Racism

• Enlightenment thinkers like Kant and Hume held racist views despite promoting human rights and equality.
• Philosophical justifications for European imperialism often involved racial hierarchies.

Differing Colonial Attitudes

• Spanish and Portuguese colonies had different racial mixing practices compared to British colonies, leading to mixed-race populations.
• Casta paintings in Spanish America depicted various racial mixtures explicitly.

Revolutionary Movements

• Haitian Revolution (1791) was a significant anti-slavery and anti-racism movement, leading to the first free black republic.
• The revolution challenged European powers and racist ideologies but led to Haiti's economic isolation.

Abolition and Aftermath

• British abolition of slavery in 1833 didn’t equate to immediate improvement in ex-slaves' conditions.
• Former slaves faced economic and social barriers, and true racial equality was not achieved.
• Famous abolitionists often overshadow lesser-known but crucial figures like Olaudah Equiano.

Continued Struggle

• The struggle against the legacies of slavery and racism continues, with ex-slaves using various institutions to push for rights.
• Awareness of Britain’s complex history with slavery and imperialism is necessary for understanding current social dynamics.