The Roots of Whiteness: How the Transatlantic Slave Trade Shapes Modern Anti-Black Racism
The mistreatment of Black people by white individuals and institutions is often attributed to perceived flaws in Black character or behavior. Yet, this perspective ignores a deeper historical truth: the concepts of “whiteness” as a superior identity and systemic anti-Black racism are not reactions to individual traits but legacies of the Transatlantic Slave Trade. From the 15th to the 19th centuries, this trade forcibly transported over 12 million Africans to the Americas, creating racial hierarchies to justify exploitation. Racism was not the cause of slavery; rather, slavery’s economic imperatives birthed modern racism, constructing “whiteness” as a tool of power while dehumanizing Black people, regardless of their qualities. This article examines how the slave trade’s ideologies persist in shaping contemporary treatment of Black folks, from overt racial slurs in sports to discriminatory practices in global crises.
Historical Context: The Transatlantic Slave Trade and Its Economic Drivers
The Transatlantic Slave Trade, beginning in the late 15th century, was a cornerstone of European colonial economies. Portuguese traders established forts like Elmina Castle in Ghana in 1482, initiating a brutal system where Africans were captured, sold, and shipped across the Atlantic to labor on plantations. Unlike earlier forms of slavery, which often lacked racial underpinnings, this trade specifically targeted Africans, treating them as chattel property devoid of humanity. The scale was staggering, driven by demand for labor in sugar, cotton, and tobacco plantations. European powers—Britain, France, Spain, and Portugal—amassed vast wealth, but this required ideological justifications. Pre-existing prejudices, such as English associations of blackness with evil, were amplified to support the trade. Africans were branded and chained, not due to their behavior, but to sustain an economic empire. Historians note that slavery in other societies often lacked racial dimensions, underscoring how race was a constructed tool in the Atlantic world.
The Invention of Race and Whiteness
The concept of “race” as a biological hierarchy was not ancient but a product of European colonialism. Sociologist Oliver Cromwell Cox argued that racial ideology emerged to justify colonial exploitation, reconciling enslavement with Enlightenment ideals of equality. The logic was clear: if all men are equal, but some are enslaved, the enslaved must be less than human. “Whiteness” was crafted as the antithesis to Blackness, embodying superiority and civilization. This was not based on Black people’s actions but on the need to legitimize conquest. The first African slaves arrived in the Americas in 1501, setting the stage for racial hierarchies. The Catholic Church’s 1452 Doctrine of Discovery authorized the enslavement of non-Christians, framing it as a civilizing mission, while Protestant ideologies later reinforced white supremacy.
In Britain, stereotypes of Africans as barbarous and inferior predated widespread contact, evolving into “scientific” racism by the 1600s. Philosophers like David Hume labeled Africans as “naturally inferior,” while others drew comparisons to apes. These ideas constructed whiteness as the pinnacle of humanity, rooted not in empirical observation but in economic greed.
Justifications and Ideologies: From Slavery to Colonialism
To sustain the slave trade, Europeans developed elaborate racial ideologies. Pro-slavery advocates like Edward Long, in his 1774 “History of Jamaica,” portrayed Africans as sub-human, despite minimal direct experience with Africa. These ideas transitioned into colonialism, justifying imperial expansion as a “white man’s burden” to civilize the “inferior.” Pseudo-sciences like phrenology claimed skull shapes proved Black inferiority, labeling Africans as “born slaves.” Even Darwin’s evolutionary theories were distorted to place Anglo-Saxons atop a racial hierarchy. These justifications ignored Black individuals’ character; they were tools to maintain power. The debate over whether racism caused slavery or vice versa leans toward the latter: slavery’s brutality necessitated racist ideologies, which persisted post-emancipation through systems like Jim Crow.
Lasting Effects: Echoes in Modern Treatment
The Transatlantic Slave Trade’s ideologies continue to shape how Black people are treated today, manifesting in both overt and systemic racism. Perceptions of Africa as chaotic and Black people as inherently problematic stem from 18th-century propaganda, influencing modern policies and interactions. White critics often focus on Black behavior, spotlighting the worst stereotypes while ignoring the vast majority who live lawfully. Yet, what of their behavior? In white communities, statues of slave traders and racists—like Edward Colston in Britain or Confederate leaders in the U.S.—are often celebrated as “heritage,” despite their ties to oppression. This selective scrutiny deflects from the historical complicity in racism embedded in white cultural symbols, revealing why the worst of Black communities is emphasized over the best.
Global Incidents of Anti-Black Racism
Contemporary examples illustrate how these historical biases persist. In 2023, Brazilian soccer star Vinícius Júnior faced racist “monkey” chants from Spanish fans, a recurring issue in European sports. These chants, mimicking ape noises, echo centuries-old dehumanization tactics from the slave trade, where Africans were likened to animals to justify enslavement. In São Gonçalo, Brazil, Vinícius’ hometown, residents rallied against this racism, highlighting a global pattern where Black athletes face slurs regardless of their talent or character. Similarly, in the U.S., Black and Hispanic volleyball players in Texas faced monkey noises from a predominantly white opposing team in 2022, with no immediate intervention, underscoring how such acts persist unchecked.
The 2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine exposed stark racial disparities. African students, comprising over 16,000 of Ukraine’s international student population, reported being denied access to trains and buses at borders, with Ukrainian officials prioritizing white Europeans. Videos showed Black people being pushed off transport or forced to the back of queues, with some facing threats of violence. A Nigerian student recounted begging to board a train, only to be told “Ukrainians only,” despite available space. The African Union condemned these acts as violations of international law, yet Ukrainian officials dismissed them as Russian propaganda. These incidents reflect a hierarchy rooted in the slave trade’s racial ideologies, where Black lives are deprioritized even in crises.
In China, reports of anti-Black racism have surfaced, particularly during the COVID-19 pandemic. Posts on X and media accounts describe Africans being denied medical treatment, housing, or access to public spaces in cities like Guangzhou. In one incident, elderly Chinese women were recorded covering their noses around a Black couple in an elevator, signaling disgust rooted in racial stereotypes. X posts also highlight a cultural norm of racism toward non-Han Chinese, particularly Black people, with some claiming China is among the most anti-Black countries. These attitudes trace back to colonial-era racial hierarchies, where Blackness was equated with inferiority, a legacy that persists in modern discriminatory practices.
In Brazil, a nation with a significant Black population due to the slave trade, racism remains overt. A Brazilian socialite was sentenced to nearly nine years in prison in 2023 for calling a Black woman a “monkey,” one of multiple incidents where Black Brazilians faced this slur. A theater production, “Monkeys,” by Clayton Nascimento, subverts this term to confront police violence against Black youth, reflecting how slave-trade-era slurs endure in modern contexts. These examples show that Black individuals’ character or behavior is irrelevant; the focus on negative stereotypes serves to maintain historical power dynamics.
Systemic and Cultural Continuities
Systemic racism, a direct descendant of slave-trade ideologies, perpetuates disparities in education, employment, and justice. In the U.S., Black Americans face disproportionate incarceration rates, despite committing crimes at rates comparable to other groups. In Europe, Black immigrants report higher unemployment and social exclusion, reflecting biases codified during colonial times. Movements like Black Lives Matter highlight how Black worth is questioned, not based on merit but on inherited biases. Historian Jacqueline Jones notes that race remains a myth justifying unequal power relations, a myth born from the need to rationalize slavery. The veneration of slave traders in public monuments further illustrates this disconnect. While Black communities are judged by their worst, white societies often glorify figures tied to slavery, ignoring their moral failings. This double standard—condemning Black behavior while excusing white historical atrocities—reveals a system designed to uphold white dominance, not to fairly assess character.
The Transatlantic Slave Trade’s legacy is not just historical but actively shapes modern anti-Black racism. From monkey chants in European stadiums to discriminatory treatment in Ukraine and China, Black people face prejudice rooted in ideologies crafted to justify slavery. These incidents are not about individual behavior but about a system that devalues Blackness to maintain white supremacy. By understanding these roots, society can confront and dismantle these lingering ideologies, fostering a world where Black people are judged for their character, not the color of their skin. True equality requires reckoning with this history and repairing its ongoing harms.