Perspectives on American Literary Landmarks, Fall 2000 LevyDecember 10, 2000Perspectives on RacismThroughout time, some views on particular issues in society change dramatically while others remain unchanged. Sometimes, only one aspect of the issue is perceived differently while the rest of the topic stays the same. This is demonstrated well in the case of racism. In the United States, racism itself has not changed, but the allotment for what is considered acceptable has. Racism deals with the actual outward discrimination upon a race or the mental process of thinking a race inferior to your own. This phenomenon exists in the U.S. today just as it existed in the first years of the nation’s existence; however, the way it is perceived has changed drastically. Abraham Lincoln and Harriet Beecher Stowe expressed similar though not identical views of the African-American race and a belief that blacks are rational human beings. A hundred years later, Malcolm X held a dramatically different view of racism and the extent to which it affects society as a whole.During the mid-nineteenth century, great changes were sweeping the nation regarding the treatment of blacks. Slavery was still practiced and many white Americans found no fault in it. Others thought it was a despicable institution and sought to have it abolished. Among these people were Abraham Lincoln and Harriet Beecher Stowe. Both were often considered radical in their perception and treatment of blacks considering the severely racist attitude of the time and were the forerunners for black rights. If brought to modern times, however, they would be termed extremely racist and discriminatory.While Lincoln and Stowe both argued for the emancipation of slaves, they differed in their approach to accomplishing it. Lincoln, the sixteenth president of the United States, engaged a political means of attacking slavery. He used his knowledge of the Declaration of Independence...
