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Michael Hall
Race & Social Justice
Professor Marie Lo
November 9, 2015

Unpacking Whiteness
Out of the many racial readings involving Whiteness and how it is defined as
well as how it operates throughout this country, two readings stood out the most as to
explaining what whiteness is and what the effects of a country formed in a slant towards
the white man. The two readings were Racial Formation in the United States by
Michael Omi & Howard Winant and The possessive Investment in Whiteness by
George Lipsitz. Both of these readings are fairly easy to follow and gain knowledge
about the subject. The key concept that helped me understand Lipsitzs reading was the
first two words of the title, Racial formation. These two words are constantly repeated
throughout the reading with all types of social stigmas attached to them. Why is Racial
Formation a key concept? Because it is what the overall reading is about, it is what the
author is informing the reader on. And that is, the sad fact that there is a racial formation
in the United States that has been constructed here since Europeans came to this land
and it is still being kept that way presently. For the reading The Possessive
Investment in Whiteness the key concept that helped me understand what Lipsitz
wanted us to understand, and that is how white people profit financially as well as
socially in this Country simply based off of their skin color. Out of the two key concepts,

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Lipsitzs concept about how white people profit seemed to be the most persuasive as a
means for understanding how whiteness is defined and how it operates. Whiteness
operates with profits to one another, and almost none for a brother.
Taking a look at the Racial Formation reading, Many of the sub headings
involve some sort of deliberate racial construct with white people reaping the benefits
from it. One of the areas discussed is about Science in regards to this countries racial
formation. When we talk about science, it is important to highlight the major biases
shadowing most of these racial uplifting scientific discoveries. Because racism is such a
blatantly hateful and hurtful action, and because every person has a concious, many
white people in the beginning tried to justify their behavior through false scientific claims
about how the black race was inferior to the white race. At that time, societies smartest
people were coming out with new studies proving that the black people living around
them were lesser than they were. This propaganda was being pumped into the heads of
whites as well as blacks. Drilling the facts about the two races into their heads. These
racist studies led to whites continuing to treat black people as a sub human species.
And creating a slavish mentality for the black people of this country. This sort of racism
was seen constantly and it is part of the blame for the racial formation that has existed
in the United States. Because black people were than constructed to live a sub par way
of life here in the states. What the Omi and Winant are trying to inform the readers of is
that the United states has purposely been building up the white People of this countries
experience in a more positive way than other races. And that racial formation is unfair to
the other races living here in the United States. One of the best ways to go about

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changing a society as un equal as ours, is to continue to educate people about what
has been going on in the very Country they live in, And to continue to shine a light on
the systematic racism that we all are apart of.
Jumping into Lipsitzs reading Possessive investment in Whiteness the key
concept that I got from the text was how white people profit here in America. I selected
this key term as the most persuasive for explaining what whiteness is and how
whiteness operates in America. Because it is straight to the point of the texts meaning.
Letting the collective people know about the facts that their own country has been
keeping from them. The words are displayed on the front of the reading How White
People Profit. Educating the reader on How they profit in the text. Regarding how white
people profit, it is important to pay attention to the title of the reading. Which has the
word investment in it. And when we hear the word investment, we automatically
associate it to money. And that is exactly part of the case when addressing how white
people profit. Because one of the main ways white people profit in America is financially.
And there are many different ways in which they go about profiting. One main way is
dictated through real estate. The United States Government built houses in certain
areas for specific groups of people. Such as the suburbs for whites and inner city for
blacks. Blacks were purposely excluded from purchasing homes in specific areas.
Initiating a direct form of segregation. And segregation is never equal. The white
populated neighborhoods were where the government invested the most money, so it
looked nicer and it had higher quality facilities. And the houses were worth more money.
So if a white family owned a house in the suburbs, they would have more overall wealth

to their name. On the black side of things, African Americans who were born to this
country, some even veterans
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were un able to even own property. Many were just restricted to leasing or renting
property. Never allowing the black people living there to accumulate any wealth to their
name at all. They just paid the white man to live in a mediocre and degrading lifestyle.
Another main way White people of this country profited from their skin color was
socially. And day to day social interactions definitely shape how people feel and live
their life. Such as the sad truth that black men under go far more law enforcement
harassment as well as unexcepting, fearful, and hostile actions from the rest of society.
Resulting in a complete negative divide of the races.
In Conclusion, Lipsitzs key concept on how white people profit, is the most
persuasive as a means for understanding how whiteness is defined and how it operates
because the reading was intended to be easy to follow in hopes of more people
understanding the problem. Also how white people profit is the main form of the racism
we see, because white people are profiting far more than other minorities. And this
County had deliberately held certain minority groups down. Whiteness operates with
profits to one another, and almost none for a brother.