The Invention of the White Race

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In 1619, the first Africans arrived in Virginia, a time when 'white' people did not yet exist in the colonial context. Historical discussions on the origins of racial slavery have primarily focused on the status of Negroes in Virginia and Maryland during the seventeenth century. However, Theodore W. Allen posits that the real focus should be on how English, Scottish, Irish, and other European colonists transitioned from various roles—servants, tenants, planters, or merchants—into a unified status: that of whites. This transformation is central to understanding the paradox of American democracy, which is built on racial assumptions. In the first volume of this two-part work, Allen seeks to address the 'white blind spot' that has skewed historical analysis. He draws parallels from Irish history to define racial oppression and explain it through the lens of social control, moving beyond simplistic skin color classifications. The book presents compelling analogies between Anglo-Irish and British rule in Ireland and the oppression faced by Native Americans and African Americans in the U.S. It highlights the irony of Irish emigrants, initially opposed to racial oppression, becoming defenders of it as White Americans. Additionally, Allen examines the differing outcomes of Catholic and Negro Emancipation, emphasizing his distinction between racial and national oppression.