The U.S. Naturalization Act of 1790 specified that citizenship was available only to “free white persons of good moral character.” In United States vs. Bhagat Singh Thind (1923) SCOTUS argued that whiteness was defined by the understanding of “the common man.”

“In other words, the Court conceded that definitions of whiteness are predicated upon common acceptance, or rejection, of demographic groups.”
– john a. powell, Racing for Justice: Transforming Our Conceptions of Self and Other to Build an Inclusive Society (Indiana Univ. Press, 2015)

#WhitenessHistoryMonth

Notes for  #WhiteNESSHistoryMonth 4.1

Extending work of @CrazyPastor. Honoring vision of @PortlandCC

Slideshow of Notes for Whiteness History Month