1619, 1776, and American’s Origins — Is the United States Foundationally Racist or Not?

Fear is the primary driver behind so many terrible institutions and/or decisions in any nation’s past. When asked if the United States is foundationally racist, unfortunately the answer is yes due to the fear of the unknown. Colonists clashed from the beginning with native tribes as they had never seen anyone different from themselves or who lived a different lifestyle than their own. That reasoning is why they brutalized these natives and tried to force them into converting to Christianity and gaining an education. These colonists had a relationship with the Native Americans on the foundation of racist beliefs that they wholeheartedly believed to be true, believing that these “uncivilized savages” were beneath them and should be treated as such. Fast forward to 1619, imports of Africans were being forcibly brought over to the Americas either forced onto a work contract, remaining enslaved, or converting to Christianity, like we saw with the natives. The terminology for this practice of enslaving human beings on the basis that they are deemed as the inferior race or less than human, is called chattel slavery and was mostly practiced within the American society. Once the United States was formed in 1776 slavery boomed, taking a tight hold of the South especially. The nation was formed on the backs of slaves who did all of the hard work to maintain the new nation, while being brutalized and tortured by their masters, being treated as far less than human due to the irrational blatant racism within this time period. The 1619 Project, created by Nikole Hannah-Jones, explores this, giving credit to those slaves brought from that time who created the foundation necessary for the United States to have survived when it was created. Those who practiced slavery did so on the deep-rooted belief that it was not only right to do so but also that it was beneficial to the enslaved individuals as it helped them be more civilized and gave them a purpose in a sense. The racist sentiment clearly only grew from 1492 way past 1776, but as racists rose, abolitionists formed in defense. Famous abolitionists such as Harriet Tubman, Frederick Douglas, and Henry Philips acted against slavery, throwing up arms in numerous ways against the institution. The Liberator was even more radical, calling for complete and immediate abolition stating that slavery was sin and those who maintained it were criminals. To say every person within the United States was a racist is entirely inaccurate, but that does not mean that the United States was not founded on racist ideals and practices, in which it was. States tried to secede from the Union, more than 3 million Americans went to war, and 2% of the population died simply over the institution of slavery. The United States was one of the only nations that required a civil war in order to abolish the practice of slavery. Loved ones were lost and the states experienced conflict and resentment for long after the war. Today slavery is not practiced within the United States the same way it was hundreds of years ago, however, that does not mean that this nation will not forever be founded on the basis of racism.