How to Be an Antiracist

by

Ibram X. Kendi

Segregationism is the belief that one racial group is inherently inferior to another and therefore must be forcibly separated from the dominant group. Assimilationism and segregationism are the two principal types of racist ideas and policies in the U.S.

Segregationism Quotes in How to Be an Antiracist

The How to Be an Antiracist quotes below are all either spoken by Segregationism or refer to Segregationism. For each quote, you can also see the other terms and themes related to it (each theme is indicated by its own dot and icon, like this one:
Racism vs. Antiracism Theme Icon
).
Chapter 2: Dueling Consciousness Quotes

History duels: the undeniable history of antiracist progress, the undeniable history of racist progress. Before and after the Civil War, before and after civil rights, before and after the first Black presidency, the White consciousness duels. The White body defines the American body. The White body segregates the Black body from the American body. The White body instructs the Black body to assimilate into the American body. The White body rejects the Black body assimilating into the American body—and history and consciousness duel anew.

Related Characters: Dr. Ibram X. Kendi (speaker)
Page Number: 33
Explanation and Analysis:
Chapter 11: Black Quotes

Racist ideas are constantly produced to cage the power of people to resist. Racist ideas make Black people believe White people have all the power, elevating them to gods. And so Black segregationists lash out at these all-powerful gods as fallen devils, as I did in college, while Black assimilationists worship their all-powerful White angels, strive to become them, to curry their favor, reproducing their racist ideas and defending their racist policies.

Related Characters: Dr. Ibram X. Kendi (speaker)
Page Number: 142
Explanation and Analysis:
Chapter 13: Space Quotes

King’s nightmare is a product of the dueling Brown decision. The court rightly undermined the legitimacy of segregated White spaces that hoard public resources, exclude all non-Whites, and are wholly dominated by White peoples and cultures. But the court also reinforced the legitimacy of integrated White spaces that hoard public resources, include some non-Whites, and are generally, though not wholly, dominated by White peoples and cultures. White majorities, White power, and White culture dominate both the segregated and the integrated, making both White. But the unspoken veil claims there is no such thing as integrated White spaces, or for that matter integrated Black spaces that are underresourced, include some non-Blacks, and are generally, though not wholly, dominated by Black peoples and cultures. The court ruled Black spaces, segregated or integrated, inherently unequal and inferior.

Related Characters: Dr. Ibram X. Kendi (speaker), Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.
Page Number: 177-8
Explanation and Analysis:

The logical conclusion of antiracist strategy is open and equal access to all public accommodations, open access to all integrated White spaces, integrated Middle Eastern spaces, integrated Black spaces, integrated Latinx spaces, integrated Native spaces, and integrated Asian spaces that are as equally resourced as they are culturally different. All these spaces adjoin civic spaces of political and economic and cultural power, from a House of Representatives to a school board to a newspaper editorial board where no race predominates, where shared antiracist power predominates. This is diversity, something integrationists value only in name.

Related Characters: Dr. Ibram X. Kendi (speaker)
Page Number: 180
Explanation and Analysis:
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Segregationism Term Timeline in How to Be an Antiracist

The timeline below shows where the term Segregationism appears in How to Be an Antiracist. The colored dots and icons indicate which themes are associated with that appearance.
Chapter 2: Dueling Consciousness
The History of Racist Ideas and Policies Theme Icon
Kendi defines the terms assimilationism and segregationism as they relate to antiracism. Assimilationists think that certain groups are inferior and thus try... (full context)
Racism vs. Antiracism Theme Icon
The History of Racist Ideas and Policies Theme Icon
Kendi notes that white people also often suffer dueling consciousness: they get caught between segregationism and assimilationism, which are both racist ideas. Assimilationists want to help people of color improve—which... (full context)
Racism vs. Antiracism Theme Icon
Activism and Social Transformation Theme Icon
The History of Racist Ideas and Policies Theme Icon
The duel between white segregationism and assimilationism, like the duel between Black assimilationism and antiracism, has played out throughout history.... (full context)
Chapter 4: Biology
Racism vs. Antiracism Theme Icon
Activism and Social Transformation Theme Icon
The History of Racist Ideas and Policies Theme Icon
While those who believe in genetic racial differences are segregationists, people who use biology to justify ignoring race are assimilationists. Even though race is an... (full context)
Chapter 6: Body
Racism vs. Antiracism Theme Icon
Activism and Social Transformation Theme Icon
Intersectionality Theme Icon
The History of Racist Ideas and Policies Theme Icon
...men are employed. Unemployment accounts for the entire variation in crime. Kendi doesn’t believe that Segregationist calls for expanded policing and incarceration will improve the situation, nor will assimilationist “tough love”... (full context)
Chapter 7: Culture
Activism and Social Transformation Theme Icon
The History of Racist Ideas and Policies Theme Icon
...culture against a standard, which creates a hierarchy of cultures. Antiracists reject such standards, but segregationists and assimilationists uphold them. Segregationists think that other cultures can never match up to their... (full context)
Chapter 9: Color
Racism vs. Antiracism Theme Icon
The History of Racist Ideas and Policies Theme Icon
After emancipation, light-skinned people took after white segregationists and invented absurd laws to exclude dark-skinned people from their clubs and political organizations. W.E.B.... (full context)
Chapter 13: Space
Racism vs. Antiracism Theme Icon
Activism and Social Transformation Theme Icon
The History of Racist Ideas and Policies Theme Icon
...refuge from racism. Integrationists are still responding to the idea of “separate but equal,” which segregationists used to justify separate and unequal spaces. Although the civil rights movement focused on fighting... (full context)