After the murder of George Floyd, there have been mass protests all across the world. Importantly, the protests have been accompanied with a reconsideration of racism as propagated in words of not only civilians, but historical figures which are revered for the grand actions. Summachar Coverage: History Of Racism In The US
Crux of the Matter
Statues Smeared Statues of several historical figures have been defaced or vandalized for their apparently racist views. The following are the major historical figures, along with their quotes displaying their racial prejudices.
Winston Churchill Winston Churchill was the British Prime Minister at the time of World War II. However, he also displayed racist views regarding Indians and blacks in his speeches and writings. His statue was defaced in London during anti-racism protests
I do not admit for instance, that a great wrong has been done to the Red Indians of America or the black people of Australia. I do not admit that a wrong has been done to these people by the fact that a stronger race, a higher-grade race, a more worldly wise race to put it that way, has come in and taken their place
I hate Indians. They are a beastly people with a beastly religion
It is alarming and nauseating to see Mr Gandhi, a seditious Middle Temple lawyer, now posing as a fakir… striding half-naked up the steps of the Vice-regal Palace On Mahatma Gandhi
Anti-racism protesters in England defaced the memorial to Winston Churchill in Westminster during Black Lives Matter protests on Sundayhttps://t.co/Ew8pJvEPQL pic.twitter.com/DDmDiO4fRi — The Times Of India (@timesofindia) June 8, 2020
Mahatma Gandhi Mahatma Gandhi was India’s renowned freedom fighter known particularly for his use of ‘non-violence’ in fighting the British. However, he apparently held negative bias towards black people and Africans. His statue was desecrated by BLM protestors outside Indian Embassy in Washington DC.
We believe also that the white race in South Africa should be the predominating race.
We could understand not being classed with the whites, but to be placed on the same level with the Natives [Africans] seemed too much to put up with.
[Black people] are troublesome, very dirty and live like animals.
Mahatma Gandhi's statue vandalised outside Indian Embassy in Washington, US Park Police launch probe into the incident. @alysonle has more pic.twitter.com/2eL6wtKyoG — WION (@WIONews) June 4, 2020
Edward Colston Edward Colston was an official in Royal African Company (RAC) which was the major slave-trading firm in England in the 17th century. In his tenure, around 84,000 slaves were transported, and 20,000 of them died. His statue was toppled and thrown in a river in Bristol.
Protesters against systemic racism in the UK tore down a bronze statue depicting slave trader Edward Colston, rolling it through the streets before tossing it into the river. https://t.co/K1ZrZ65Nik pic.twitter.com/0n6gENEYhY — ABC News (@ABC) June 8, 2020
Revisiting Other Legacies Andrew Jackson – US president from 1829 to 1837 – is the face of the $20 bill of US. He has been brought in debate as he sanctioned the ‘Indian Removal Act’ which forced the migration of native American tribes, which ended up in a genocide of the black people. President Franklin D. Roosevelt ordered the forced incarceration of Japanese Americans after Imperial Japan’s attack on Pearl Harbor. Harry Truman, who was the US president at the time of World War II, implemented several economic reforms and initiated the NATO. However, his attack on Japan with atomic bombs has brought him in the light of discussion even though he justified the step by saying, “I decided that the bomb should be used in order to end the war quickly and save countless lives–Japanese as well as American”.
Curiopedia
The internment of Japanese Americans in the United States during World War II was the forced relocation and incarceration in concentration camps in the western interior of the country of about 120,000 people of Japanese ancestry, most of whom lived on the Pacific Coast. Sixty-two percent of the internees were United States citizens. These actions were ordered by President Franklin D. Roosevelt shortly after Imperial Japan’s attack on Pearl Harbor.
The Story of My Experiments with Truth is the autobiography of Mohandas K. Gandhi, covering his life from early childhood through to 1921. It was written in weekly installments and published in his journal Navjivan from 1925 to 1929. In 1998, the book was designated as one of the “100 Best Spiritual Books of the 20th Century” by a committee of global spiritual and religious authorities.
The Bharat Ratna is the highest civilian award of the Republic of India. Instituted on 2 January 1954, the award is conferred in recognition of exceptional service/performance of the highest order, without distinction of race, occupation, position, or sex. There is no formal provision that recipients of the Bharat Ratna should be Indian citizens and hence, the former South African president Nelson Mandela was awarded it in 1990.
Curated Coverage
The Guardian – Austria unveils design to turn Hitler’s house into a police station
NPR – Gandhi Is Deeply Revered, But His Attitudes On Race And Sex Are Under Scrutiny
The Indian Express – Explained: Why has Edward Colston become a target of anti-racism protests?
BBC – The 10 greatest controversies of Winston Churchill’s career
USA Today – WWII 70 years later: Truman viewed bomb as ‘tragic,’ necessary
Vox – Andrew Jackson was a slaver, ethnic cleanser, and tyrant. He deserves no place on our money.
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