ISS 215 Chapter Notes - Chapter Ch 7: Fugitive Slave Laws, White Supremacy, Afrocentrism
17 Mar 2015
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7: the making of african americans in a white america. Relationships between whites and blacks in the us have been marked by many episodes like these, sometimes a step backward and occasionally a step forward. Contemporary institutional and individual racism, which is central to today"s conflicts, has its origins in the institution of slavery. For nearly half of this country"s history, slavery was not only tolerated but also legally protected by the us constitution as interpreted by the us supreme. For several decades, nearly one out five people were black and enslaved in the us. Slavery in the us rested on five central conditions: slavery was for life, the status was inherited, slaves were considered merely property, slaves were denied rights, and coercion was used to maintain the system. Because slaves could not testify in court, a white"s actions toward enslaved african americans were practically above the law.
