Covert vs. Overt Racism & Author's Rhetorical Choices
As someone who lives in America, I have been exposed to racist ideologies my entire life. At some point in my young age, I have believed in some of them. For example: reverse racism. As a kid, I truly thought that someone could oppress me for being white. Now I understand that I can be oppressed due to my gender or sexuality, but never race. Someone making fun of me for my race or using crass terms involving my race will never compare to the institutional racism that people of color face. Today, I understand this and attempt to speak with others about this privilege. One way that I've tried to use my privilege is in the discussion of covert racism.
In Why Are All the Black Kids Sitting Together..., Beverly Daniel Tatum discusses covert racism in depth. Overt racism includes acts like hate speech (slurs) and hate groups like the KKK or Nazis. Covert racism is the result of the internalization of racism that occurs within many white people. It is something that every white person deals with or has dealt with whether we know it or not. Additionally, covert racism includes the less visible types of institutional racism that still occur today like housing discrimination and police brutality.
This graphic from the Unitarian Society of Ridgewood (based off a graphic originally by Ellen Tuzzolo) names examples of overt versus covert racism and highlights the socially unacceptable versus socially acceptable nature of these types of racism. Today, most people understand and will argue that organized racism like the KKK and hate crimes are bad, and not accepted by our modern society. This is great, but the worrisome aspect of this is that covert racism is still socially acceptable. Because this type of racism is less visible, it is more persistent in its pervasion of American society.
Tatum writes about a type of covert racism known as "aversive racism," which she defines as "an attitudinal adaptation resulting from an assimilation of an egalitarian value system with prejudice and with racist beliefs" (220). Basically, by living in a "smog of racial biases and stereotypes" (220), Americans have racism instilled in them from a young age. Due to the concept of covert versus overt racism, this doesn't mean that every American will become a Nazi or will openly hold white supremacist values. It means that they will likely practice or allow covert racism throughout their lives unless they confront this internalized racism. When white people have internalized racism, it may cause them to have a fear of or discomfort around black people. This limits interracial interactions and increases the issue. Instead of outwardly hating black people, white people will instead become "averse" to interracial reactions, "hence the name, 'aversive racism'" (221). It can be difficult to acknowledge this kind of racism when you have participated in it your whole life. Many people deny the existence of covert racism or are against the idea that it is a pressing issue, at least not compared to the examples of overt racism that they have learned are wrong.
Tatum creates an effective argument for the existence of covert racism as a pressing issue through the use of statistics and evidence from studies involving race in America. She argues that the perception Americans have about race is skewed. Half of white people in America believe that "discrimination against Whites has become a problem equivalent to that against people of color" (211), despite the fact that white people still hold the majority of highest paying job positions according to the US Bureau of Labor Statistics, with just 29% of black people and 20% of Hispanic people holding these positions (211). She also lists that "3% of executives, senior-level officials, and managers in the US are Black... [and] only 4% of doctors and 5% of attorneys are Black" (212). Yet many white people feel that their race is becoming oppressed and that people of color make up a majority-minority in the US, even though that the percentage of people of color in the US is still only 37%, making white people still a true majority (213). Tatum uses a quote from a participant in her Whiteness Project, "'affirmative action was nice. It had its time. Its time is over,'" to summarize the sentiment of many white people in America (209). She writes that some white people feel that the election of a black president, Barack Obama, and the visibility of black celebrities like Oprah Winfrey, has put an end to racism, negating the need for programs like affirmative action (209). However, the statistics that indicate white people are still at a much more successful place economically, especially in fields requiring a lot of higher education, clearly show that some systems should be put into place in order to combat institutional racism.
The unfounded belief that white people have about their race's decreased level of power and their race's discrimination shows that white people may still harbor resentment and internalized racism. Seeing the success of select people of a race that white people may have internalized as being "less than" presents itself as worry about reverse racism. If I'm white and have many privileges, it could be upsetting to see people of color succeeding more than me. Tatum writes that "the deeply internalized racial hierarchy that has White men at the head of the line has been set askew..." resulting in the white man's distress (214). Therefore, white people become believers in the concept of reverse racism and discrimination against white people. The belief in reverse racism is actually an example of covert racism. It is a belief in the existence of oppression that does not exist and discredits the oppression of people of color. It is true that white people have many struggles and, due to some factors in their life, may not be as successful as other people. However, race will never be one of the factors holding them back.
Tatum's argument is effective and may appeal to reverse racism believers because it relies on statistics. Race relations and civil rights are often perceived as movements based on "feelings and emotions." Indeed, emotions play a role in civil rights movements because fighting for basic human rights comes with a lot of emotion. Frequently using statistics in her arguments allows Tatum to be taken seriously, and balances the emotional appeals with "hard facts." The balance of Tatum's argument is key to its success. Emotions are important, but an argument is often more irrefutable when supported with math.
The more you are educated about covert racism, the more present it may seem in your daily life. You may begin to notice covert racism consistently around you. If you are white, it can be hard to learn about these systems, but education is the first and sometimes hardest step to understanding these pieces of society. When I was a kid learning about reverse racism for the first time, my first thoughts were how certain parts about being white seemed unfair. Eventually, I learned enough about racism to understand that not only does reverse racism not exist, but it is also harmful to those who do experience racism.
"White Supremacy Teach-In II." The Unitarian Society of Ridgewood, 3 Dec. 2017,
In Why Are All the Black Kids Sitting Together..., Beverly Daniel Tatum discusses covert racism in depth. Overt racism includes acts like hate speech (slurs) and hate groups like the KKK or Nazis. Covert racism is the result of the internalization of racism that occurs within many white people. It is something that every white person deals with or has dealt with whether we know it or not. Additionally, covert racism includes the less visible types of institutional racism that still occur today like housing discrimination and police brutality.
Fig. 1: ("White Supremacy Teach-in II")
This graphic from the Unitarian Society of Ridgewood (based off a graphic originally by Ellen Tuzzolo) names examples of overt versus covert racism and highlights the socially unacceptable versus socially acceptable nature of these types of racism. Today, most people understand and will argue that organized racism like the KKK and hate crimes are bad, and not accepted by our modern society. This is great, but the worrisome aspect of this is that covert racism is still socially acceptable. Because this type of racism is less visible, it is more persistent in its pervasion of American society.
Tatum writes about a type of covert racism known as "aversive racism," which she defines as "an attitudinal adaptation resulting from an assimilation of an egalitarian value system with prejudice and with racist beliefs" (220). Basically, by living in a "smog of racial biases and stereotypes" (220), Americans have racism instilled in them from a young age. Due to the concept of covert versus overt racism, this doesn't mean that every American will become a Nazi or will openly hold white supremacist values. It means that they will likely practice or allow covert racism throughout their lives unless they confront this internalized racism. When white people have internalized racism, it may cause them to have a fear of or discomfort around black people. This limits interracial interactions and increases the issue. Instead of outwardly hating black people, white people will instead become "averse" to interracial reactions, "hence the name, 'aversive racism'" (221). It can be difficult to acknowledge this kind of racism when you have participated in it your whole life. Many people deny the existence of covert racism or are against the idea that it is a pressing issue, at least not compared to the examples of overt racism that they have learned are wrong.
Tatum creates an effective argument for the existence of covert racism as a pressing issue through the use of statistics and evidence from studies involving race in America. She argues that the perception Americans have about race is skewed. Half of white people in America believe that "discrimination against Whites has become a problem equivalent to that against people of color" (211), despite the fact that white people still hold the majority of highest paying job positions according to the US Bureau of Labor Statistics, with just 29% of black people and 20% of Hispanic people holding these positions (211). She also lists that "3% of executives, senior-level officials, and managers in the US are Black... [and] only 4% of doctors and 5% of attorneys are Black" (212). Yet many white people feel that their race is becoming oppressed and that people of color make up a majority-minority in the US, even though that the percentage of people of color in the US is still only 37%, making white people still a true majority (213). Tatum uses a quote from a participant in her Whiteness Project, "'affirmative action was nice. It had its time. Its time is over,'" to summarize the sentiment of many white people in America (209). She writes that some white people feel that the election of a black president, Barack Obama, and the visibility of black celebrities like Oprah Winfrey, has put an end to racism, negating the need for programs like affirmative action (209). However, the statistics that indicate white people are still at a much more successful place economically, especially in fields requiring a lot of higher education, clearly show that some systems should be put into place in order to combat institutional racism.
The unfounded belief that white people have about their race's decreased level of power and their race's discrimination shows that white people may still harbor resentment and internalized racism. Seeing the success of select people of a race that white people may have internalized as being "less than" presents itself as worry about reverse racism. If I'm white and have many privileges, it could be upsetting to see people of color succeeding more than me. Tatum writes that "the deeply internalized racial hierarchy that has White men at the head of the line has been set askew..." resulting in the white man's distress (214). Therefore, white people become believers in the concept of reverse racism and discrimination against white people. The belief in reverse racism is actually an example of covert racism. It is a belief in the existence of oppression that does not exist and discredits the oppression of people of color. It is true that white people have many struggles and, due to some factors in their life, may not be as successful as other people. However, race will never be one of the factors holding them back.
Tatum's argument is effective and may appeal to reverse racism believers because it relies on statistics. Race relations and civil rights are often perceived as movements based on "feelings and emotions." Indeed, emotions play a role in civil rights movements because fighting for basic human rights comes with a lot of emotion. Frequently using statistics in her arguments allows Tatum to be taken seriously, and balances the emotional appeals with "hard facts." The balance of Tatum's argument is key to its success. Emotions are important, but an argument is often more irrefutable when supported with math.
The more you are educated about covert racism, the more present it may seem in your daily life. You may begin to notice covert racism consistently around you. If you are white, it can be hard to learn about these systems, but education is the first and sometimes hardest step to understanding these pieces of society. When I was a kid learning about reverse racism for the first time, my first thoughts were how certain parts about being white seemed unfair. Eventually, I learned enough about racism to understand that not only does reverse racism not exist, but it is also harmful to those who do experience racism.
Works Cited
"White Supremacy Teach-In II." The Unitarian Society of Ridgewood, 3 Dec. 2017,
www.uuridgewood.org/white-supremacy-teach-in-ii-december-3-2017/. Accessed
5 June 2020.
5 June 2020.
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