Two of the most pervasive sources of misinformation and racial oppression were the construction of race and the creation of the “Nigger” as a non-human beast. Both of these creations were a result of the colonial systems that formed the thirteen companies, that history records as the thirteen original colonies.
These companies were England’s business ventures in competition with other empires for wealth and power. Acquiring wealth and power was, and is, dependent on free and cheap labor.
While the first slaves, a.k.a non-person, to labor in these companies were England’s own prisoners and children, the successful cultivation of tobacco meant more free labor was needed. The need for free labor intensified the transatlantic slave trade. Over 12 million Africans were taken from their homelands from 1501 to 1866, with the U.S. receiving over 305,000 people as property.
The transatlantic slave trade was abolished in 1807. However, “illegal” trade continued and the legal, more brutal, domestic slave trade industry boomed. The black enslaved population grew 487% from 1790 to 1860.
Sparked by fears of slave uprisings (both black and white), particularly the Bacon Revolt in 1676, the propaganda campaign of creating race by aligning European slaves with the English elite through
skin color intensified. The process of creating the nigger was observational ‘science’ of comparing blacks to dogs, parrots, and apes.
This language married the non-person to non-human creating both race and the nigger simultaneously to protect the legitimacy of slavery which translated to wealth and power. Thus, the nigger became an object of trade for the elite and an object of contempt and violence for the created white race. So, racial oppression is as prevalent today as it was during and after slavery.
The effects of racial oppression (toxic stress) on the mental and physical health of African Americans is well documented. Some of the psychological impacts include depression, anxiety, PTSD, PTS, and somatization. The physiological effects include cardiovascular and inflammatory disorders such as heart disease, obesity, diabetes, and high blood pressure.
While we understand racial stress from dominate culture sources, we have yet to understand the impacts of internalized racial oppression. Internalized racial oppression is defined as the incorporation of racist attitudes, beliefs, and ideologies into one’s worldview; the process of absorbing the values and views of the oppressor and coming to believe all or some of the stereotypes and misinformation.
If using this word might create a stress response, perhaps limiting your exposure would be helpful. Maybe listen to the radio version of the song. How about an experiment? Pay attention to hearing the word over the next several weeks and notice your own body’s response.
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