History of Racism in Portland & South Africa

1. P O R T L A N D & S O U T H A F R I C A
The Past, Present, & Impacts of
Racism

2. Race
 A social construct that artificially divides people into
distinct groups based on characteristics such as
physical appearance (particularly color), ancestral
heritage, cultural affiliation, cultural history, ethnic
classification, and the social, economic, and political
needs of a society at a given period of time. Racial
categories include ethnic groups.

3. Racism
 Any attitude, action or inaction, which subordinates
a person or group because of her/his
race/color/ethnicity. Racism is the systemic
mistreatment experienced by people of color.

4. History of Racism:
Origins
 First Examples of Racism in the 14th & 15th Century.
 The world was divided and groups had little
interaction before these times.

5. History of Racism:
1300-1600
 Explorers traveled around the world and brought
contact between cultures and different people.
 Enslavement of “Heathens”
 Biblical Justifications: “The Curse of Ham”

6. History of Racism:
19th Century-Biological Racism
 Social Darwinism: Survival of the Fittest between
groups, not just individuals.
 A battle for resources.
 Nationalism, Colonization, & Dominance of the other.

7. History of Racism:
20th Century
 The Holocaust, Civil Rights, & Embarrassment

8. Individual/Interpersonal Racism
 The beliefs, attitudes, and actions of individuals that
support or perpetuate racism. Individual racism can
be deliberate, or the individual may act to perpetuate
or support racism without knowing that is what he or
she is doing.
 Examples:
 Racist Jokes or Language
 Stereotypes
 Implicit or Explicit Bias
 Hate Crimes
 Accepting things as they are

9. Systemic Level:
Intuitional & Structural Racism
 Institutional racism refers specifically to the ways in which
institutional policies and practices create different outcomes
for different racial groups. The institutional policies may
never mention any racial group, but their effect is to create
advantages for whites and oppression and disadvantage for
people from groups classified as people of color. This is often
rooted in long-term historical oppression and can be
unintentional.
 Systemic Racism Explained
 Examples
 Housing Discrimination
 Educational Structures & Public Resources
 Policing Practices
 Voting Restrictions
 Media Representations & Coverage

10. Is Portland Racist?
 Based on these videos, is Portland a racist
community? Why or why not?
 Hillsboro Woman Attacked
 Hate in Schools
 What Would You Do: PDX Bike Thefts

11. Is PDX Racist?
 As you read the following, record instances of
Interpersonal and Systemic Racism.
 You do not need direct quotes and should paraphrase.
 The Racist History of Portland, The Whitest City in America
 Should the Portland area (Tualatin included) be
considered a racist community? Why or why not?

12. Apartheid in South Africa
• A legal system put in place by an all-white government that
created a forced racial segregation for all South Africans.
• Separate communities
• No Interracial Marriage/Relationships
• Separate schools
• Limited freedom of movement
• No Political rights for Blacks

13. Trevor Noah: Born A Crime

14. Racism in South Africa Today
 How has the legacy of Systemic & Interpersonal
Racism impacted South Africa’s past and present?
 Trevor Noah NPR Interview
 Trevor Noah: Born A Crime
 Racism in Modern South Africa & Mandela's Vision
 Vice News: Violence & Security in South Africa