Black writers on what it means to be white

Black Writers on What it Means to Be White

In his introduction to Black Writers on What it Means to be White, David R. Roediger critiques traditional white historiographies and pays credence to the work of prominent Black scholars the likes of W.E.B. Du Bois and James Baldwin. Roediger shows that whites frequently write about what it means to be Black, but that Black historians, philosophers, and writers are summarily ignored. Most white scholars, according to Roediger, don't feel that Blacks have much insight into the features or characteristics of "whiteness." On the other hand, so-called liberal academics claims to know a lot about the needs, wants, histories, and passions of African-Americans. As the author sets out to prove, Blacks actually have more insight into white culture than vice-versa. Blacks have in fact been uniquely able to perceive whites culture objectively and to understand and criticize their means of oppression. This stems to the slave auction, where the Black "products" could readily assess and judge their potential masters. Furthermore, whiteness, rather than being a biological fact, is actually a forged identity that is groundless in reality. White Americans cling to their identity out of fear, not because it is a fundamental fact. Moreover, this "white" identity is uniquely American. Because of our history with the slave trade, white supremacy has been an integral part of American consciousness.

During the course of his introduction, Roediger presents several key points. First and foremost is that Black writers, historians, and thinkers have been forced to the fringes of American society. Their voices have been silenced because they threaten the status quo of white supremacy in the States. As an example, Roediger points to Bill Moyers, who interviewed Toni Morrison without bothering to thoroughly research her writings. Blacks, according the author, have been dismissed as being able to discuss whites, whereas whites have been permitted to speak at any length about what it means to be Black.

One of the main points of Roediger's argument is that whites do not realize fully how much African-Americans actually know about white culture. From the vantage point of the oppressed, much can be gleaned about the white mentality and psychology. From this perspective, Blacks have shown two consistent points: white culture entails terror and it entails property. Blacks have been the brunt of white oppression and have been viewed as recipients of these two forces. The author briefly delves into the role of economics in this equation, for whites have continually viewed Blacks mainly as a mindless source of labor so that white culture can secure its position of dominance in an economic-driven society.

Another major argument in Roediger's introduction is his assertion that whiteness is an illusion. The author backs up his point with examples from European immigrant culture to the United States. Racism is something that is taught, not something that is innate. Racism is purely American, designed to create an artificial consumer-driven culture. At the heart of this artificial culture is the oppression of Blacks, for without slave labor and its reverberations, whites would not enjoy their position of supremacy. Furthermore, to cling to this false sense of superiority, whites must continue to subversively and overtly dominate Blacks in all areas of life, including academics.