Faith Quote by Michelle Alexander
““White supremacy, over time, became a religion of sorts. Faith in the idea that people of the African race were bestial, that whites were inherently superior, and that slavery was, in fact, for black's own good, served to alleviate the white conscience and reconcile the tension between slavery and the democratic ideals espoused by whites in the so-called New World. There was no contradiction in the bold claim made by Thomas Jefferson in the Declaration of Independence that 'all men are created equal' if Africans were not really people.””
About This Quote
Source Book: The New Jim Crow, 2010
White supremacy was framed as a religious belief to reconcile slavery with democratic ideals, creating a moral justification for oppression.
In simple terms: White supremacy was justified as a belief system.
Key Takeaway
Recognize and challenge systemic justifications.
Themes
racism
history
justice
Mood
critical
urgent
Type
historical
analytical
When to use this quote
- education reform
- policy advocacy
- community dialogue
- historical analysis
Key Concepts
systemic oppression
religious rhetoric
moral justification
Questions to Reflect On
- How does belief shape systemic racism?
- What can dismantle these justifications?
A Different Perspective
Some argue economic factors, not belief, drove slavery.
![“[T]he slave went free; stood a brief moment in the sun; then moved back again toward slavery. —W.E.B Du Bois, Black Reconstruction in America For” quote by Michelle Alexander](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/fdb/michelle-alexander-750_slavery_t-he-slave-went-free-stood-a-brief-momen_96485.jpg)
