Apartheid Quote by Bell Hooks
“…“white supremacy” is a much more useful term for understanding the complicity of people of color in upholding and maintaining racial hierarchies that do not involve force (i.e slavery, apartheid) than the term “internalized racism”- a term most often used to suggest that black people have absorbed negative feelings and attitudes about blackness. The term “white supremacy” enables us to recognize not only that black people are socialized to embody the values and attitudes of white supremacy, but we can exercise “white supremacist control” over other black people.”
About This Quote
Source Book: “Ain’t I a Woman? Black Women and Feminism”, 1981
“White supremacy” describes systemic racial hierarchies, highlighting how people of color can perpetuate them, beyond personal prejudice.
In simple terms: Systemic racism includes internalized oppression.
Key Takeaway
Recognize broader structures of racial power.
Themes
racism
white supremacy
internalized oppression
systemic inequality
Mood
thoughtful
serious
Type
academic
political
When to use this quote
- education
- policy making
- community organizing
- academic research
Key Concepts
social theory
critical race theory
intersectionality
Questions to Reflect On
- How does “white supremacy” differ from “internalized racism”?
- What actions can dismantle these hierarchies?
A Different Perspective
Complex term may be contested in some circles.
![“We [ with Brian Mulroney and Rajiv Gandhi] went to the meeting in Canada [the 1987 Vancouver CHOGM] and I said to them there that sanctions weren't working; they were just being busted. And it did seem to me that one way that we could bring the apartheid regime down would be if we did mount an…” quote by Bob Hawke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/66c/bob-hawke-7891_apartheid_we-with-brian-mulroney-and-rajiv-gandhi_109260.jpg)
