Ijeoma Oluo Thesis

Throughout history, there has been a frequent pattern of acquisitions for more. Minorities, specifically, have been targeted as groups for which it easy to capitalize on and gain land from. They are seen as ‘less than’ and consequently treated as such. Racism, specifically has blood soaked this country and entrenched us with self delusion: “I had to learn how race was invented as a function of capitalism to justify the brutality of genocide and forced free labor.” Ijeoma Oluo paints the brutal truth of a country overcome with ignorance. America has been built on white culture and as the dominant race, many have unconsciously blinded themselves. This lapse in vision has lead to a world in which we shift to meet the needs of white people along

Beginning with the Native Americans whose land and culture was stolen from them, was one of the first times this fear of those with darker skin was truly exemplified. The white settlers who traveled to the U.S also came with a thirst for more and a hunger for land. Consequently, when encountering the Natives, they completely disregarded them, and their land. Ijeoma Oluo addresses this when writing, “I had to learn how you could claim to rightfully own stolen land and how you still can today.” Possessing their white privilege, they swept over the Native lands with an assurance of conquest. With this assurance came the knowledge that they must also erase the culture and history of the Natives. Eradicating the darker skinned people who rightfully belonged on these lands, and gaining control over their territory, “ensured” that white people would officially hold the power and authority. With minds drunken on the idea of power and more, they allowed their fear to control any rationality. Furthermore, the Native Americans appeared as an unfamiliar, alien people who occupied land that white settlers wanted, and believed they deserved. President George Washington, and other officials, believed that the best way to solve this “Indian problem” was simply to “civilize” the Native Americans. Their goal was to mold the Native Americans into white Americans by encouraging them to convert to Christianity, learn to speak and read English, and adopt European-style economic practices. In southeastern United States, many Choctaw, Chickasaw, Seminole, Creek and Cherokee people embraced these customs and became known as the “Five Civilized Tribes.” However, their land was considered valuable to the white settlers and it grew to be coveted by them as they swarmed into the region. Many did not