The Isis Papers: The Keys to the Colors

The Isis Papers
genetic potential? 2) If so, who will assume ultimate responsibility for
bringing about that maximal development- Black pe~ple themselves or
white people? 3) If Black children are not to be maximal~y developed,
what do Black people really think is going to happen to tlns large Black
undeveloped mass of human beings? And, 4) Are white peopl~ in a~y wa;
looking to Black people for the maximal development of white chtldren.
In trying to understand precisely what is happening to us, let us be very
clear about the following: The function of the encounter b~tween the
b m child and the various elements of the social/envrronmental
new o · 'd al ·
experience, which continues throughout the life of the indtv~ u • IS .to
shape and mold the newborn child to fit his or her pre~etermm~ socwl
role. In effect, this is achieved by the total social expenence acting.upon
the child's genetic potential. Any established social system has. asstgned
social roles for every child born into the system, inasmuch as children are
born to parents who already are occupying "their place" in the structured
social system. Social roles are related most fundamentally to how much
true power one will or will not have in a given social system. ~rue ~wer
is the key factor in the determination of "identity," whtch ts the
individual's relationship to actual power. In an oppressive social system,
one's identity is either that of the oppressor or that of the oppressed.
In a social system designed to achieve white domination, th.e e~- ·
perience of that system molds white children so that they may funcuon ~
the role of the oppressors, or the "functional superiors" (becaus~ th~t ts
what white supremacy is supposed to mean: that whites will functiOn I~ a
superior way as compared to non-whites). Through structur~ supenor
functioning whites will be able to oppress others. The same soctal system
simultaneo~sly will mold all children classified as "non-whites" or
"others" to play the role of tlle "functional inferiors," or th~ OPIJires!;eu,-,
This is why a white racist social system is completely mcapable
providing total equality of opportunity to Blacks. Sue~ a. system
for its maintenance, produce differential levels of funcuonmg .for
and non-whites. If, for example, apparent equality is granted m the
of education, it is denied in family background. If it is given in
it is denied in housing opportunity. If it is granted in health care "'"'' •.,....,,.
Black Children
it is denied in terms of fathers' income levels. If it is granted by law
(Brown, 1954), it is denied through social practice. Etcetera
We must stress the use of the term "functional inferiority," which is in
con~st to "genetic inferiority." "Functional" is uSed because the genetic
m~terial of non-white children actually is not impaired, but the pre-determmed
and established racist social experience is designed deliberately to
destroy the genetic potential for social functioning. The destruction of
non-white genetic material (which is the fundamental meaning of the
word "genocide"- killing genes) leads to the appearance of inferiority in
the non-whites.
To describe the social process by which Black genetic potential is
destroy~, thus profoundly influencing the whole life experience of every
Black child, the term "inferiorization" is used. lnferiorization is the
co~scious: deliberate and systematic process utilized specifically by a
rac~t (white supremacy) social system, as conducted through all of its
maJor and.minor institutions (including the institution of the family), to
mold specific peoples within that system {namely, all peoples classified
by ~e racist system as non-white) into "functional inferiors," in spite of
therr true genetic potential for functioning. Under the white supremacy
system, the more melanin pigmentation present in the skin and thus the
darker the. individual, the greater the "inferiorization" pressure imposed
by the racist system. Thus, amongst all non-white peoples, Blacks are
.most victimized by this process. Particularly, darker Black people receive
extreme victimization - even amongst Black people themselves. This
skin coloration code established by the global white collective, like other
methods of Black subjugation, is essential to white genetic survival. This
same code causes Black people to say "Don't marry anyone darker than
yourself," preferring light-skinned persons as mates. Such socially im­
~sed ~att~ms of thinking yield the Black infant its frrst direct experience
With rejecuon and negation by the racist social system he or she is born
Jnto; tllis negation will continue for the entire life span.
Simply, inferiorization means that through the structuring of thought
, ·Ul•ur::"'" and social experiences such as poor housing, poor healtlt care,
school systems, broken families and low income levels, a
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