The Perception Of Blackness

Pasqual Vassetta

Blog 3: The Perception of Blackness

For centuries, people of color have borne the weight of unspeakable suffering and unimaginable hardships. The perception of blackness as inferior was not natural, but rather a constructed ideology founded and shaped throughout history by white supremacists. They established this ideology to uphold their dominance against people of other races and to preserve their own authority. Alongside the growth of European colonialism and the transatlantic slave trade, these white ideas developed, promoting racial injustice for the oppressed and marginalized peoples. Because of the historical oppression people of color have faced, notions of inferiority, subjugation and dehumanization have been forcefully given to people of color, through no fault of their own. Jordan Peele’s film “Get Out” and Desmond Cole’s novel “The Skin We’re In” are two works of art which offer profound explorations of how people of color are negatively perceived because of prejudices and stereotypes put in place centuries ago. “Get Out” confronts the insidious nature of racism and cultural appropriation through the protagonist Chris, a young black man, while “The Skin We’re In” highlights systemic racism and its impact of black Canadians through its protagonist and surrounding community. Although people of color have a voice today, systemic racism still lingers, and notions of inferiority still plague the black community due to their unsettling history of oppression.

Colonialism refers to the establishment, maintenance, and expansion of colonies by foreign powers. European powers did more than that. Not only have they deprived black people of their autonomy, but also have assimilated their culture and way of living. The European colonialism, spanning from the 15^th to 20^th century, devasted black communities by imposing their rule over African territories and implemented discriminatory laws that denied them basic rights and freedoms. Colonialism deprived black people of their culture by imposing their own cultural norms and values. People of color were forcibly taken from their communities and sold into slavery. Said enslaved people were forced to work on plantations, mines and used as domestic servants, working countless hours without a salary. This degrading work wrongfully led Black people to unwillingly adopt notions of ignorance and inferiority which still lingers today as stereotypes. People of color have been commodified, exploited, and objectified through no fault of their own.  Black bodies were treated as objects and used for labour without regard for their humanity as depicted in Peele’s work. In “Get Out” the Armitage family hosts an auction during their party. The auction has the wealthy white people bidding on buying Chris and other people of color without their knowledge, which they will later go through a procedure to take control of the black body. This scene is a commentary on how people of power view and treat black people as commodities to be owned and controlled. The auction scene mirrors the historical reality of slavery, where black people were bought and sold as property. The auction scene also portrays the dehumanization of black people. To the wealthy buyers, people of color we’re bought for their physical attributes and capabilities. There was no regard for their dignity or humanity, black bodies we’re valued on how well they could serve their master, exactly how European colonialists treated their slaves.

Stereotypes of being inferior and less than human arose from colonial times and depicted thoroughly through the auction scene in the movie. Scenes of cultural appropriation are also present throughout the movie. An example of this is seen through Dean Armitage, the neurosurgeon, as he expresses his admiration for black physicality by repeatedly praising Chris’ physique and physical attributes. The dean objectifies Chris and reduces him to a stereotype of black physicality and fetishizing his body for his own admiration. Dean similarly resembles the colonizers of the colonial era, where white oppressors use and appropriate black bodies for their own amusement, completely disregarding them as human. The ultimate act of culture appropriation occurs when Dean attempts to put an elder white man’s brain into Chris’s Body. This scene symbolizes the extreme acts to which Dean is willing to go to appropriate black bodies and identities for his own benefit. Through this scene, we watch Dean commodifying black bodies and using them for his benefit, similarly done by the colonizers from the colonial era. We also see black artifacts and antiquities around the Armitage household. Dean and the Armitage family collect black artifacts to use as “decorations” around his house. This is another form of black culture appropriation because the “decorations” are only seen for their appearance and aesthetic enjoyment, without genuine understanding and respect for the cultural significance behind them. This is similar to when colonizers bought and traded black bodies because the colonizers only cared about their slave’s capabilities and appearance, completely disregarding their culture and their souls within their bodies. Through both the Armitage family in “Get Out” and colonizers of the colonial era, we see that black bodies we’re valued by their capabilities, completely underlying their traditions, culture, experiences and lives. They have used black bodies for their own benefit and gratification, while simultaneously oppressing and exploiting their race. Examples of Dean fetishizing black bodies, seeking their bodies for his own benefit, and collecting black artifacts illustrate the appropriation of black culture throughout “Get Out”.

Due to the lingering effects slave the slave trade had on black culture, people of color are plagues with stereotypes and prejudices. White supremacists forged these stereotypes centuries ago and they still withstand till this day. Despite progressing towards equality, stereotypes are deeply ingrained alongside black identity which manifests various forms of discrimination and systemic inequality. Black individuals are unfairly perceived as inherently dangerous and prone to criminal behavior, this stereotype not only negatively influences the public perception but also areas such as law enforcement and criminal justice. People of color are disproportionately targeted and are more prone to being mistreated compared to their white counterparts. Desmond Cole shows incidences of racial profiling and police harassment experienced by black individuals in Canada through his novel “The Skin We’re In”. In the first chapter, the protagonist recounts the incident of police discrimination that took place on New Year’s Eve. A young black artist named John Samuels hosted an art gallery on New Year’s Eve. Violent police officers disrupted the event when they forcefully entered without a warrant and used force on John without provocation. The quotation “According to John, police had disrupted the gathering he was hosting, then repeatedly jolted him with a taser while his stunned guests admonished the police and filmed the attack on their cellphones”. (Cole, 4) This scene shows how police officers used brute force on an innocent man. The police had also smashed the storefronts windows and harassed John for numerous months before the incident. John had also applied for an alcohol permit so he can serve alcohol to his guests during the event. The permit was never warranted, and officials revoked the alcohol before the police officers came. The police officers were discriminating John and showed excessive force without a good reason. This shows how corrupt cops in today’s society believe ancient stereotypes about people of color and mistreat them. “The police attacks on John was calculated and it fits the pattern of disproportionate uses of force against Black people in general”. (Cole, 6) is a quote which further implies how oppressors use disproportionate force against black people; in this case, it was the police officers. The justice system in Canada is unfair that way. The protectors of peace which the government fund are using disproportionate force against marginalized groups which warranted no signs of criminality. People of color have gained a loud voice of reason to fight for freedom since colonial times, but they are still being oppressed and treated like their enslaved ancestors. “The Skin We’re In” sheds light on many forms of criminal injustice and mistreatment experienced by black people in Canada, attracting attention to the urgent need for social justice reform and systemic change. Cole’s work serves as a powerful critique of racism and prejudice in Canadian culture as well as a call to action and unity in the struggle for racial equality.

Ultimately, the perception of blackness has been forged by white supremacists during the era of colonialism. Their ancient ideology of superiority over marginalized races are still prevalent in now. Systemic injustices and unequal rights are still being fought for by people of color, a fight that may never resolve. The works of art “Get Out” by Jordan Peele and “The Skin We’re In” by Desmond Cole spread light to cultural appropriation by non-white peoples and ingrained stereotypes which are prevalent in todays world. For centuries, people of color have strove for equality and despite being more accepted, still receive countless prejudiced and micro-aggressions today. The fight for freedom isn’t over until it is achieved.