Racism is a tree that was planted long ago whose seeds spread throughout the diaspora along with African people. Racial formation, caused by of social, economic, and political conditions, is a source of power for the oppressors and a way to justify the treatment of the oppressed. Over time, it has caused the spiritual death of millions of African people because of its’ brutality. However, its origin is not as evident as the origin of those who it affects on a daily basis; in order to understand why race itself developed, one must recall the “importance not only of local histories but also of how these histories are connected to global developments,” (Kelley and Robin 41). Modern day racism ultimately evolved due to the beliefs and practices
…show more content…
However in contrast to the Egyptians, groups were categorized by skin tone due to the striking difference in their appearance to that of their white counterparts . Terms ranged from fusci meaning dark to nigerimi (very dark), but there were no negative connotations associated with having dark skin unlike today’s society. Evidently, there was more diversity in the ancient world than racial division or oppression. Since people were also categorized based on diet, classification based on pigmentation was simply another means to identify a group of people. Africans were not forced to feel inferior due to their skin tone. In addition to classifying Africans, Greeks and Romans also admired them. Ethiopians were considered to be the “most handsome of men” (Gomez 14), and Zeus, the most powerful of the Greek gods, was disguised as a black man in Sophecles’ Inachus (Gomez 14). Unfortunately, several economic practices in the Islamic world eventually introduced whites to the concept of labor …show more content…
European countries such as Spain and Portugal would later be motivated to seek gold from the Africans in order to become global powers. In addition, Muslims under the control of Muhammad occupied Syria, Iraq, Egypt, and North Africa which established their dominance over Africans in the region. In order to ensure economic gain to coincide with this dominance, they captured non-Muslims through raids and kidnappings making them the first to exploit African labor for their own commercial betterment. Slavery in the Islamic world was indeed a “business” (Gomez 35). Economic evolution would soon be accompanied by what would become racial
However in contrast to the Egyptians, groups were categorized by skin tone due to the striking difference in their appearance to that of their white counterparts . Terms ranged from fusci meaning dark to nigerimi (very dark), but there were no negative connotations associated with having dark skin unlike today’s society. Evidently, there was more diversity in the ancient world than racial division or oppression. Since people were also categorized based on diet, classification based on pigmentation was simply another means to identify a group of people. Africans were not forced to feel inferior due to their skin tone. In addition to classifying Africans, Greeks and Romans also admired them. Ethiopians were considered to be the “most handsome of men” (Gomez 14), and Zeus, the most powerful of the Greek gods, was disguised as a black man in Sophecles’ Inachus (Gomez 14). Unfortunately, several economic practices in the Islamic world eventually introduced whites to the concept of labor …show more content…
European countries such as Spain and Portugal would later be motivated to seek gold from the Africans in order to become global powers. In addition, Muslims under the control of Muhammad occupied Syria, Iraq, Egypt, and North Africa which established their dominance over Africans in the region. In order to ensure economic gain to coincide with this dominance, they captured non-Muslims through raids and kidnappings making them the first to exploit African labor for their own commercial betterment. Slavery in the Islamic world was indeed a “business” (Gomez 35). Economic evolution would soon be accompanied by what would become racial