White supremacy is the belief that white people are better than those of other races, making it a type of racism. It also includes actions that prevent other races from gaining power, which is known as white privilege, preserving that power for white people. The basis of white supremacy is the former erroneous belief that significant biological differences existed between people of different races. Although this belief focused heavily on the so-called Black inferiority in and around the slavery era, white supremacy historically and currently oppresses people of many races around the globe, especially indigenous peoples. Furthermore, definitions of who qualifies as white can vary.
This type of racism paved the way for racist hate groups such as the Ku Klux Klan (KKK), the attempt by the self-named Confederate States of America to secede from the Union, and various race riots or massacres, including that in Greenwood, Oklahoma. White supremacy has also been solidified in American legislature through laws such as those preventing Black people from owning property, voting, holding office, and marrying (either at all or those of other races). In the 20th century, Jim Crow laws, which forced racial segregation, upheld the ideology of white supremacy. While laws have changed, institutions and individuals can still promote white supremacy up to and including racist violence.
This idea is closely related to white nationalism, in which being white becomes an identity. Supporters of white nationalism may endorse overthrowing the government to uphold their power. Overlap also exists between white supremacy and racist skinheads who discriminate against Jewish people. Some Christian beliefs and doctrines also align with white supremacy. White (male) supremacy can play a role in domestic terrorism incidents such as shootings like the one in Buffalo, New York.
While Donald Trump was president, this movement gained popularity, with as many as 600 groups currently existing in the United States, members of which typically supported Trump.
Although there is disagreement about how we can dismantle white supremacy, some white supremacists eventually see the error of their ways.
All of our articles, exhibits, and events about white supremacy can be found in the archive below.
Posts Tagged ‘White Supremacy’
Denial Is the Heartbeat of America
White terrorism is a cornerstone of American history but leaders and citizens alike continue to deny this reality.
Read MoreVirginia Military Institute Removes Monument to White Supremacy
A Confederate statue on the campus of one of Virginia’s oldest institutions is finally being removed after Black students spoke out about a campus culture that literally and figuratively worshipped the graven image of white supremacy.
Read MoreCrackdown on White Supremacist Gangs by California Authorities Leads to Charges Filed Against 102 People
It’s Thanksgiving this week, and I don’t know about you, but I feel like there isn’t much to be thankful for in a year like this. Well, 102 people connected to two white supremacist gangs now face charges as part of an investigation by state and federal authorities. I suppose that’s something to be thankful for.
Read MoreFBI Report: 2019 Was a Great Year for Racist Murderers
While Donald Trump has repeatedly taken credit for rises in the stock market, Black employment and administration officials who didn’t die from the coronavirus, newly released hate crime data also shows steady growth in the white supremacist murder industry, which has been booming under his leadership.
Read MoreSystemic Racism 201: The advantages Whites have felt entitled to for generations
Most conversations about systemic racism center the stories of the harms to people of color while ignoring that White people benefit tremendously from it. This is a tough pill to swallow. Few people are willing to go down the proverbial rabbit hole Morpheus spoke allegorically about in that scene from the Matrix.
Read MoreThey Can’t Kill Us and We Won’t Die
President-elect Biden acknowledged this debt to Black voters in his acceptance speech. Will he begin the job of dismantling systemic racism and increasing Black wealth? Only time will tell.
Read MoreHow the Charlottesville Rally, the Gov. Whitmer Kidnapping Plot, Etc. Underscore the Threat of Far-Right Extremists
A panel of experts warns that Charlottesville was not an isolated or unplanned spontaneous incident, but a harbinger of much organized white supremacist terror to come.
Read MoreFor Love of Country: Black veterans join movement to rid military installations of Confederate names and symbols
When Daniele Anderson was a student at the U.S. Naval Academy in Annapolis, Maryland, she posted flyers around the campus about Black History Month events she was organizing, but they were repeatedly torn down.
Read MoreSpecial News Series: Rising Up For Justice! – There are proven ways to keep protests peaceful. Trump is doing the opposite.
Donald Trump has called on local and state officials to crack down as harshly as possible on BLM protests throughout the nation. Experts say that Trump’s rhetoric and actions inflame tensions and escalate protests further, instead of keeping the peace.
Read MoreProud Boys: who are the far-right group that backs Donald Trump?
President Trump refused to call the “Proud Boys” a white supremacist group during his presidential debate. Instead he told them to “stand down” and “stand by.”
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