This year in African American History we talked about the origins of race. I always thought that it made sense to classify people as "white", "black", "brown". However after some reflection I realized that it really didn't make any sense. Here are some things I thought:
1. Colors carry certain general characteristics and moods. Therefore to distinguish individuals by color adheres them to certain personality traits that usually are not accurate. For example, the color black is associated with darkness and evil and thus to call African American black gives them a certain negative connotation. And in the same way, to call European Americans white gives them a connotation of purity and goodness which again is not accurate. To do this also provides the “white” race with a quality of superiority since their race has positive characteristics while the “black” race has negative ones.
2. Someone’s culture is not accounted. Only the characteristics of that color and the stereotypes imposed to that race (or color of people) are accounted. Culture does not fit into color.
3. These classifications could be easily erased if we began to classify people by their cultural origins. This would provide people with a more accurate description of who people are and who they came from rather than generalizing them and providing them with ambiguous identification.
All that being said, race was created in the building of America in order to oppress African Americans and give power to "whites".
So how can we stop seeing people as colors?
Recognize one's ethnicity- like the rest of the world! Yes! No other place in the world classifies people by color. Race is a political construct solely created to establish a power structure to give whites power of people of color. So, I, and many other students in my school I have decided to simply recognize where people come from. So instead of black, African American. Instead of brown, Latino American. Instead of white, European American. We have to stop identifying as color and stop perpetuating the stereotypes carried by those colors. In doing so, we will have made a small step to a more equal America.
