Not all white people were slave masters. In fact, the vast majority of them were victims of the same oppressive systems that enslaved others. The idea that every white person was complicit in slavery is a dangerous oversimplification that ignores the nuanced and often brutal reality of class struggles throughout history. Many white people were so poor that they could barely afford food, let alone the ownership of slaves. To harbor resentment toward all white people, as a black person, is to misdirect anger that should be aimed at the true culprits which are the monarchies, aristocracies and the ultra-rich who built empires on the backs of the poor, regardless of race.
History shows that these ruling classes thrived off the labor, sweat and tears of poverty-stricken communities. When their local resources were drained and their own people could no longer sustain their greed, they turned their eyes outward. They raised armies, invaded foreign lands and established colonies, perpetuating systems of exploitation on an even larger scale. The monarchs and elites who orchestrated these atrocities were not representative of the average white person. They were part of a small, privileged class, what we might call the "one percent" today, who manipulated and profited from systemic oppression.
People often forget that slaves were not captured by ordinary individuals. It took wealth, influence and access to resources to organize the capture, transport and sale of human beings. Slave ownership was a luxury reserved only for the rich. This means that being a slave master was not simply a matter of race but of economic power and social status. While black people bore the brunt of the transatlantic slave trade, white people, especially the poor, were also victims of systems of exploitation.
Long before the scramble for Africa and the transatlantic slave trade, white people experienced slavery themselves. From the serfdom of medieval Europe to indentured servitude in the early colonies of America, white laborers were often treated as property, bound to masters and forced to work under brutal conditions. However, as European powers expanded, they discovered that African slaves were more profitable due to their ability to withstand harsh climates and labor-intensive work. This economic advantage led to a racialized system of slavery that left deep scars on black communities.
The unfortunate reality is that the one percent who drove these systems of oppression never disappeared. They simply evolved, adapting to new economic and political structures. Today, these elites still control vast amounts of wealth and influence global decisions. They exploit divisions among ordinary people black, white and other races, keeping us focused on our differences instead of uniting against the real sources of inequality.
It is important to recognize that the legacy of slavery and systemic racism cannot be ignored. Black people continue to face injustices rooted in these historical systems. However, blaming every white person for these injustices ignores the role that class and wealth have played in perpetuating inequality. It also overlooks the solidarity that can exist among oppressed groups who share a common enemy, those in power who continue to hoard resources and exploit labor.
Instead of directing anger at all white people, we should turn our focus toward dismantling the structures that keep the majority of the world poor and powerless. We should question the institutions that allow wealth to remain concentrated in the hands of a few, leaving billions to struggle for survival. By doing so, we will challenge the systems of oppression that have persisted for centuries and create a more just and equitable world.