Celebrating Black History Month: White Supremacy vs. Black Excellence

Celebrating Black History Month: White Supremacy vs. Black Excellence

"To me, we are the most beautiful creatures in the whole world. Black people. And I mean that in every sense."

-Nina Simone

I. Defining the Terms and Context

A. Definitions

According to Merriam-Webster, the term "black excellence" refers to a high level of achievement, success, or ability demonstrated by an individual Black person or by Black people in general while "white supremacy" is the belief that the white race is inherently superior to other races and that white people should have control over people of other races.

Gordon Parks The photographer whose work documented race relations, poverty, civil rights, and urban life	Shirley Chisholm The nursery school teacher who ran for president	Ida B. Wells-Barnett The journalist who fought to bring the truth of the Black experience to light after the Civil War

Photo Credits- Left: © A Choice of Weapons: Inspired by Gordon Parks (2021) ; Middle: © House Black Caucus Shirley Chisholm via the Library of Congress; Right: © Ida B. Wells-Barnett Cihak and Zima, Ida B. Wells-Barnett, ca. 1893-1894. University of Chicago Library, Special Collections Research Center via Women & The American Story

B. Origins/Context

II. Cause and Effect

A. Cause

Empowered by the Black cultural movement, African Americans increasingly demand more roles in mainstream and Black media. Thus, this begins the dismantling of internalized racial oppression (IRO).

• Black Arts Movement
• Movies and TV
• Music and media
• Pop culture
• Activism

B. Effect

Little Rock, Arkansas: On Aug. 20, 1959, a group of people at the State Capitol, protesting the enrollment of the "Little Rock Nine" (the first African American students admitted to Little Rock Central High School) via the Library of Congress.

Threatened by the Civil Rights demonstrators that once shouted "freedom" but now shout "black power," white supremacists used a series of phrases to demonstrate their internalized racial supremacy (IRS):

• White pride
• White power
• White supremacy

III. Personal and Modern Day Connections

A. Modern Manifestations

Photo by Nicole Baster on Unsplash

We can still see Black Excellence and White Supremacy perceived in our society today. Current events, media portrayals, and systemic issues contribute to these concepts. We celebrate Black Excellence in the past and the present. However, Black people and other POC are still underrepresented in media, and White Supremacy still persists, requiring continued and evolving anti-racism efforts to address the systemic structures that perpetuate these issues.

Waukesha, WI: In March 2022, following the Waukesha Christmas Parade tragedy, white nationalist groups, Patriot Front and the National Justice Party staged protests, falsely attributing the attack to "BLM Terror" and "Anti-White Hate" and calling for a hate crime charge against the defendant.

© 2024 This work by Unicorn Riot is licensed by (CC BY-NC-SA 3.0 US  License). 

B. Main issues

• Harmful Stereotypes: The phrase "black excellence" can be weighted with inconceivably high expectations of resilience, strength, and ability to always push through. 
  
  • Ex: Black mothers face higher mortality rates due to the belief that Black women can handle higher levels of pain.
• Misconceptions: A common misconception is that the negative response to "White Pride" is a result of "anti-whiteness".

C. Discussion Questions

1. How do societal structures perpetuate or challenge Black Excellence and White Supremacy?
2. What role does education and media play in shaping perceptions of these concepts?
3. How can individuals contribute to dismantling systems that perpetuate inequality?
4. Discuss perspectives and share personal experiences related to Black Excellence and White Supremacy.

IV. Conclusion

When engaging in conversations about white vs. black power, pride, or culture, some might see a double standard. However, Black Excellence is an ideology formed to overcome IRO, and White Supremacy is an ideology formed to reinforce IRS, demarcating a clear difference between the two terms. It is also important to note that both ideologies are direct byproducts of a racist society and system. Overall, when educating others, it is important to ensure the conversation is respectful and inclusive of all view points.