ETH STD 122AC Lecture Notes - Lecture 1: Indian Removal Act, Human Taxonomy, Color Blindness

• School: Berkeley
• Department: Ethnic Studies
• Course: ETH STD 122AC
• Professor: Raymond Telles

Document Summary

This is an exploration of how politics, power and bigotry contributed to rationalize and justify american social and racial inequalities as natural. Race was never just a matter of how you look--it"s about how people assign meaning to how you look. Race is an idea that evolves over time & that has history--constructed by society to further certain political & economic goals. Over 4 centuries, race has become powerful & enduring narrative. Moments in america"s past reveal how idea took place & became lens through which we view our world. Thomas jefferson penned revolutionary words proclaiming human equality in. Declaration of independence & notes on the state of virginia. Argument that he"s the first person to articulate a theory of race in us. In notes on the state of virginia, jefferson appeared to justify slavery at time when many slaves were admonishing founding fathers for espousing freedom while continuing support a system of human bondage.