This project will examine the ways in which the portrayal of white male exceptionalism has impacted women and African Americans in America . It will assess the ways in which the ideology of American exceptionalism internationally, closely resembles the systematic portrayal of white men in America. Because white males have been regarded as being exceptional in society this inevitably means that every other citizen will also be seen as subordinate to white men in some way. In history, those in power have often perpetuated this idea of white male supremacy through legislation and authority however the social implications of this have been just as significant. This perpetuation of power has certainly impacted every citizen in American history and continues to have its implications on present day American society. This exhibit will observe the effects of this idea beginning at the end of the civil war leading up to the Jim Crow Era.
American exceptionalism has been reflected in the goals and motivations of the United States since the founding days of this nation. Alexis de Tocqueville’s Democracy in America [1] suggests a very early observation of America’s identity and relationship with the rest of the world. Considering America’s success at establishing a democratic republic, Tocqueville is the first writer to describe America as “exceptional”. In 1929, the soviet leader Joseph Stalin gave this ideology its official name. However, his meaning of exceptional was not quite the extraordinary definition that is insinuated today. His idea more so reflected a belief of abnormality and deviance of the nation. [2]Despite what either of these historical figures meant in their description of American exceptionalism, this term has developed into a term of endearment for this country being regarded as exceptional in its functions of liberty, democratization and individualism amongst all other nations[3] .This premise of exceptionalism amongst others has seen an undeviating correspondence to the role that white males have played in American history. This exhibit will begin by assessing the civil rights movement for Women’s rights and Rights for African American citizens separately. As time went on these two movements began to collaborate and discover corresponding objectives however, earlier on these two movements had two very different narratives that sometimes contrasted with each other.
The Reconstruction era began directly after the civil war. The efforts of this era centered around rebuilding southern infrastructure and defining African American citizenship[4]. However, this definition of citizenship did not aim to make African Americans full citizens like everyone else, but aimed to define a new group of second class citizens. The idea of being the most American has centered around being white, in particular being an Anglo-Saxon male.[5] Because white males have possessed power throughout American history and national history, society inherently regards their position as being “exceptional” and any other position as being inferior. After the ending of slavery the dehumanization of African Americans continued. White slave owners did not want to let go of the economic benefits that slavery had afforded them. Using their economic leverage over recently freed slaves many ex-slave owners allowed black farmers to be sharecroppers which locked them into a system of poverty that was nearly impossible to escape[6].
The Suffrage Movement began in 1848 long before the ending of slavery. However, the Reconstruction era highlighted these values in ways that had not been addressed previously. The main narrative of the suffrage movement included the gaining of rights for women. Although many men were not supportive of the movement this lack of support was not limited to men. Many women also believed that women had no place in politics[7]. The agenda for achieving women’s rights often was perceived to be in competition with the achievements of civil rights for African Americans. Because of this, white women sometimes supported principles that discriminated against African Americans to benefit their own agenda[8]. For instance, white women perpetuated the belief of African American men being portrayed as the frightening and sexually aggressive “Sambo”[9]. Although white women were certainly seen as inferior to white men, this class of citizens still benefitted from many white male supremacist values. Sometimes intentionally and at other times white women unintentionally played in to the validity of the exceptional white male narrative. In the progression of American history there has been a continued practice of degrading a specific population to support the progression of white Americans. These same tactics used against marginalized citizens of this nation have also been used internationally in the American quest of for expansionism.
In the early 1900s the right to vote became a struggle experience for both the African American community. African American men technically gained the right to vote through the 15th amendment however several acts of legislation were enacted to resist black influence in politics[10]. Women continued the fight for voter rights up until the 19th amendment in 1920. Changes in society led to several differences in social norms including sexuality. An additional struggle that was added to the Woman’s rights movement was birth control. The birth control movement allowed for a unique collaboration of both civil rights efforts and woman’s rights efforts.
In each of these legislative struggles white men remained as the gatekeepers to change and often enacted additional policies that would prevent change from happening. However, instead of bearing the mistakes of the past the role of white men in America has been continuously portrayed as heroic. Madsen (1998) describes American exceptionalism as being extraordinary in its structure and function amongst all other nations.[11] This same principle is theorized by white men and described in the ideology of “The White Man’s burden”[12]. This ideas asserts that white men were given the unpleasant duty of purifying those that are unfit for civilization. This exhibit will explore the ways in which white male supremacist values have persisted throughout American history despite the progressive efforts made by women and African Americans.
[1] Alexis de Tocqueville, Democracy in America, (New York, G Dearborn & Co., 1835)
[2] Macmillan, Trevor. American Exceptionalism and the Legacy of Vietnam,: Palgrave Macmillan, 2003
[3] Jason Edwards & David Weiss, The rhetoric of American Exceptionalism , (Jefferson, NC: McFarland & Co, 2011)
[4] Eric Foner, Give me Liberty!: an American History (New York, W.W. Norton & Company, 2014.
[5] Ibid.
[6] Ibid.
[7] Verta Taylor, Social Movement Continuity The Women’s Movement in Abeyance (1989)
[8] Kristan Poirot, (Un)Making sex, making race: nineteenth century liberalism, difference and the rhetoric of Elizabeth Cady Stanton,(2010)
[9] Phillip Cohen, Nationalism and the suffrage: Gender struggle in nation-building America, (Signs, 1996)
[10] Volney Riser, Defying disenfranchisement: black voting rights activism in the Jim Crow south, 1809-1908 ( LSU Press, 2010) 1-16
[11] Deborah Madsen, American Exceptionalism, (University of Jackson Mississippi, 1998)
[12] Murphy, Gretchen, Shadowing the White Man’s Burden (New York University , 2010)