What is Critical Race Theory? And Why is it Important?

Critical race theory or (CRT) is the process of exerting critical thought on race theory within the U.S. social institutions such as the criminal justice system, education system, labor market, housing market and healthcare system. And how they are intermingled with racism deeply embedded in laws, regulations and procedures that lead to differential outcome based upon race.

An Illustration of Ruby Bridges holding a Critical Race Theory textbook

When you look back into the history of the United States concerning racial laws you may end up finding insight on things like slave codes, black codes or black laws. Black codes were adverse laws governing the conduct of Black Americans (free or freed).

When you discover things like The Thirteenth Amendment’s Loophole, How the Thirteenth Amendment to the United States Constitution provides that “Neither slavery nor involuntary servitude, Except as punishment for crime whereof party shall have been duly convicted, shall exist within the United States, or any place subject to their jurisdiction”.

When you gaze through the Jim Crow era you begin to notice the weaponizing of the Thirteenth Amendment and how mass incarceration was used to defame Black Americans, and is still in effect to this day. Did you know slavery existed in the United States of America prior to its founding by illegal kidnapping? The United States Constitution did not expressly use the words ‘slave’ or ‘slavery’ but include several provisions on ‘unfree’ persons.

It’s worth looking into, especially when it applies so much to the world we live in today and how it affects the people and the families around us.

Heroes like Henry Johnson and Jesse Owens were met with unfairness, injustice and racism. Despite Jesse Owen’s performance at the 1936 Berlin Olympics (the headquarters of Hitler’s Nazi regime) where Owens won four gold medals, he still faced discrimination and aggression when he returned home to the United States. Even as a gold-winning Olympic athlete, he wasn’t even allowed to ride in the front of the bus.

An Illustration of Jesse Owens at the 1936 Berlin Olympics

Henry Johnson was a United States war hero, President Theodore Roosevelt called him one of “the five bravest Americans” to serve in World War I. Johnson had been wounded 21 times, he did not receive recognition for his injuries despite receiving the Wound Chevron, which he wore on his sleeve. He was vocal about the racism he’d endured. Johnson knew he was black and was accustomed to being overlooked by a country he’s fought so hard for.

Pvt Henry Johnson of the 369th infantry regiment, AKA the Harlem Hellfighters [1918].

It’s time to understand that the history that was taught in our public schools for so many years was largely white-washed. Meaning the achievements and accomplishments of many Black Americans were not taught to us. Mildred Lewis Rutherford, a white supremacist who taught the politics of white supremacy and The Rutherford Committee are somewhat the blame for Confederate propaganda ending up in school history books and their influence on the U.S. history curriculum.

In Conclusion, It’s time for cross-disciplinary intellectual critical thinking on race, racial laws and the history of the United States, It’s only fair.