roots of racism

Racism began in colonial Virginia in the middle 1600's, when marginal groups merged and rebelled against the colony's aristocratic landowners. Petty whites and blacks--all equally indentured servants--rose up in the 1660's under another aristocrat named Nathaniel Bacon, in what is known as "Nathaniel Bacon's Rebellion" in colonial Virginia. White indentured servants fought with black indentured servants against the Royalist rulers' ban against them acquiring access and entitlement to Indian lands, from which both were excluded. After the death of Nathaniel Bacon, by poisoning some suspect, the ruling class crushed the rebellion. The rulers then passed laws favoring the whites over the blacks, thereby dividing them. Blacks became slaves for life. Whites remained indentured until their terms ended. Then, they became eligible for land, seed, tools, and cash to start out on their own. With these disparities in place, enmity rather than amity was born between petty whites and now-enslaved blacks. Thereby racism was born and perpetuated to this day, though cracks are now in its armor.