The Emerging Past: History Repeating Itself

            Eduardo Bonilla-Silva argues in the eighth chapter of his book Racism without Racists that America is turning into a triracial system.  In addition to the previous black and white categories is the new “honorary white” status.  This new order is going to serve as a buffer zone between whites and blacks.  It is also fluid, so some people can be considered an honorary white due to their achievements or social class.  For example, Barack Obama and Lebron James could be considered honorary whites because of their successes.  They receive benefits that aren’t afforded to other blacks.

Presidential Photo

            In the article entitled, “Honorary White Privilege, New Southern Strategies & the GOP”, WFBMM argues that this new status of honorary whites is a historical tactic used by whites.  The author says that dating back to the colonial period; white slave owners created a buffer zone with indentured servants.  These indentured slaves were from Europe, so their skin color enabled them to be higher up in the class system.  Flash forward about 200 to 300 years to when Barack Obama was able to win back-to-back elections with overwhelming support from both blacks and Hispanics.  So, the author contends that the Republicans are trying to entice Hispanics to their party.  This would allow for a buffer zone between the whites and blacks.  As a result, Bonilla-Silva’s “honorary white” category would be created in the realm of politics. 

            Chance Kelsey brings many interesting perspectives to the issue of honorary whites in the blog, “Honorary White Status.”  He highlights that racial statuses are fairly fluid.  This is illustrated with the Europeans who came to America and were considered as “blacks” by the dominant whites.  Numerous Asian and Latinos groups have started out as blacks and worked their way into the honorary white status such as Japanese and Cubans.  Also, he argues that these groups were able to accomplish this honorary white status by showing that they opposed blacks.  This corresponds with Bonilla-Silva’s thought that the system is based on how closely groups can identify with the dominant whites.  The most interesting point of his blog is the notion that intermarriage could change this whole hierarchy system.  There is a possibility that they will become part of the “honorary white” category, but enough people of mixed races could destroy the current racial order.

            When I worked in Chicago, I saw evidence of this “honorary white” class.  Business owners valued having Hispanics as their workers and thought blacks were lazy.  They were readily hiring those who were of Mexican ancestry, but didn’t take a second look at African Americans.  Most of the bosses and managers of the companies were whites.  They seemed to be favoring the Hispanics to keep them as a buffer from working with blacks.

            The emergence of the triracial system may have a profound impact on all races.  It could elevate the status of Latinos and Asians.  It will also cement white supremacy and blacks at the bottom of the hierarchy.  The three order system would be part of the newest forms of racism.  However, this could be a short-lived system if Chance Kelsey is right that interracial marriage and kids is becoming more common.