Page 50 - Social Science.docx

Jim Crow in Nazi Germany
Jasmine Vega
The system of legalized racism and segregation of black Americans within the United States through slavery and later implementation of Jim Crow Laws, served as the framework behind Nazi discrimination and segregation policies against German Jews. Racism originated partly from religious motivations. Mainstream organized religion played a significant role in the development and practice of racism, rationalizing discrimination against religious minority groups throughout history. Some Christians justified the enslavement and murder of Africans with the notion that they were not humans with souls.1 Meanwhile, Catholics believed that all people regardless of color had souls. Catholics prevented slave ownership within their American colonies, yet forced Africans and Native Americans to convert to Catholicism, leading to more dehumanization, torture, and murder. Racism was also prominent during the colonial era when North American colonies started to associate dark skin color with unfavorable behavior and negative traits. The idea of racial inferiority became the basis of slavery throughout the era of colonization.2
Racism later evolved into a social construct that used against different minority groups. For instance, during the late 1800s, Irish and Italian immigrants to the United States were
Jasmine Vega, ’21 will study economics at Boston University. 1
2
Joshua Goode, “Race and Racism: Europe,” Charles Scribner’s Sons.
https://link.gale.com/apps/doc/CX3424300655/GPS?u=gullacad&sid=GPS&xid=cd9f49d7
N.A., “Racism,” Gale, Cengage Company.
https://link.gale.com/apps/doc/DXDLIK032872385/GPS?u=gullacad&sid=GPS&xid=8fc8d2fe
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