Main claim- Black People Cannot Be Racist

Question

Here is the link to where I found this statement, however this is something that I have already heard and debated on for years. The idea of Black people being racist - it is impossible. I am curious though, to see what others think because they also cannot be racist to other marginalized groups (e.g. Latinos, Asians, etc.,)

Comments

In my opinion, it all depends on how you define the term "racist". The article linked below explains how each definition can result in a different answer to whether or not African Americans can be racist. I see the term racism as prejudice and discrimination against one of a different race. In this case, anybody of any race could be racist or prejudiced towards one of another race.

https://www.ferris.edu/HTMLS/news/jimcrow/question/2009/march.htm

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The term "racist" means prejudice against a person based on their race. By this definition, black people can be racist. Other definitions of racism are a systemic group privilege by those who have greater wealth, prosperity, etc. By this definition, black people cannot be racist because they represent a discriminated minority.  A different question is can black people be racist towards white people, because white people are the privileged race. Check out this article:
https://theconversation.com/defining-when-human-life-begins-is-not-a-question-science-can-answer-its-a-question-of-politics-and-ethical-values-165514

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@kayladorgan and @mkherbert good responses and opinions. Don't forget to add ratings, such as:

True
False
Exaggerated
Opinion (opinions can't be factchecked)
Misinformation
Likely misinformation
Likely not misinformation
Not misinformation

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I decided to comment on your fact check because I found the fact check very intriguing. I disagree with the statement that black people cannot be racist and that it is impossible. When looking at it in the lens of marginalized groups, you are correct. But when looking at it in the sense that we're all people who should treat each other with love despite our race, in my option I believe it is wrong. I think that any race can be racist and treat each other unfairly based off their background no matter what race they are. Just because certain races have faced more troubles throughout history does not give them the ability to mistreat another race. Thank you for sharing this interesting but important topic.

Answer 1

False. Race is an everchanging idea but is defined by systemic structural powers. In the US, this has historically affected black people negatively but this does not negate the harm a black person or an marginalized person can do to another marginalized person. I can be explained by racial formation which is what the defining of race by systemic powers is called. This information is based from Racial Formation by Micheal Omi and Howard Winant.

Comments

Nice explanation and supporting evidence to back the claim being misinformation. You could share a URL link to your source as further proof next time. Such as: https://www.routledge.com/Racial-Formation-in-the-United-States/Omi-Winant/p/book/9780415520317

Answer 2

In this article that I have attached below, the IAT is used on many black participants and they are shown to have a slight preference for White people over Black people.

https://www.theatlantic.com/politics/archive/2014/12/black-on-black-racism-the-hazards-of-implicit-bias/384028/

Comments

This is an interesting article. Good find. Don't forget to add a rating, such as "misinformation, factually inaccurate."

Answer 3

False. The claim is debatable, but understanding the concept of race can help one find an objective answer to the claim. After taking multiple college classes including sociology and an African American history class in which race was a topic heavily discussed, as well as reading books on this matter, I have come to the conclusion based on evidence that Black people can be racist, along with any other marginalized racial group. While this does not mean that Black people are the main creators or beneficiaries of racism in America, they are subject to performing acts of prejudice/discrimination toward another race as a product of the system.

Comments

I like that you first provided a rating, and then your explanation, which stems from personal experience. It would be great to dig a bit further and find literature (including a URL link) to support your claim. Here's something I found via CNN. https://edition.cnn.com/2019/09/22/us/kendi-book-anti-racist-blake/index.html

Answer 4

I disagree with this as being racist means to be prejudiced and discriminatory against someone based on their race. Black people still have the ability to discriminate against other races, so they can also be racist. Although black people have been marginalized in the past, any race is able to act in discriminatory ways that can hurt other races and groups of people. Your point does not make sense because it is technically stating that other marginalized races can be racist to black people, but that black people cannot be racist to them which does not make sense. 

Source: https://amp.cnn.com/cnn/2019/09/22/us/kendi-book-anti-racist-blake/index.html

Comments

I like your detailed explanation and source. Don't forget to add a rating, such as  "misinformation, factually inaccurate."

Answer 5

This is a judgement, not a fact that can be checked.

Rating - Not information (Opinion)

Comments

If you cannot find any experts or literature to support the claim, then it might be considered as a judgement or opinion. However, if you dig a bit deeper, you'll find some credible sources and experts who say that Black people can be racist.

Answer 6

The debate over whether Black people can be racist is influenced by how racism is defined. Since racism is a social construct, its meaning can shift based on societal understanding and acceptance. This means both perspectives—racism as personal prejudice and racism as systemic oppression—can be valid depending on the framework used. However, at the end of the day, definitions of racism, like many social constructs, tend to be shaped by those in power. The majority—whoever they may be at a given time—often influence these definitions in ways that serve their interests, whether to maintain privilege or to shift discourse in their favor. However, the “ism” in “racism” denotes a system or structure. Considering this, racism, as systemic discrimination, assumes having structural power. Historically, people of color have never had the upper hand, and therefore, don’t have the structural power or privilege to be racist (Bonilla-Silva, 1997). Although this does not mean that people of color cannot have racial prejudice. While these terms are often used interchangeably, they do not necessarily mean the same thing. While we can’t reduce racism to a single definition, it would be a disservice to ignore historical and social complexities that establish crucial power dynamics seen today. 

Answer 7

The claim that Black people cannot be racist is false when measured against the actual definition of racism. According to the Oxford English Dictionary, racism is defined as: “prejudice, discrimination, or antagonism by an individual, community, or institution against a person or people on the basis of their membership in a particular racial or ethnic group, typically one that is a minority or marginalized.” By this definition, racism is not tied to a single racial group; rather, it is a set of attitudes and behaviors that anyone can engage in. Therefore, Black people, like individuals of any other race, can indeed be racist.

The Jim Crow Museum reinforces this interpretation, showing that Black individuals are capable of racism when the standard definition is applied. Opponents often argue from an alternate perspective, redefining racism as “a system of group privilege by those who have a disproportionate share of society’s power, prestige, property, and privilege.” Under that definition, only the dominant racial group could be considered racist, and therefore Black people would be excluded. However, this redefinition is not the original or most widely recognized meaning of racism. In fact, limiting racism to systems of power creates confusion between systemic oppression and individual prejudice. While Black communities are not the primary beneficiaries of systemic racism in the United States, this does not erase the possibility of individual or community-level prejudice directed toward others.

Furthermore, racism is not a uniquely American phenomenon. For example, in Brazil, racial tensions and discrimination have shaped the reappropriation of Black identity, illustrating that racism is a global issue with multiple dimensions. Across the world—whether among Black, White, Asian, or other groups—instances of prejudice, hostility, and discrimination occur. This reality confirms that no race is exempt from the capacity to be racist.

In conclusion, the claim that Black people cannot be racist is unsustainable. It relies on redefining racism in a way that strays from its original meaning and conflates power dynamics with prejudice. By the standard definition, racism is universal: any race can harbor and act upon racist beliefs. To deny this is not only intellectually dishonest but also undermines an honest discussion about the complex realities of race and discrimination.

https://www.oed.com/search/dictionary/?  

scope=Entries&q=racism+ https://jimcrowmuseum.ferris.edu/question/2009/march.htm

https://www.jstor.org/stable/3339326