Hidden Racism in Children's Books and the Preservation of White Supremacy

Authors after the Civil War sought to preserve ideals of the Antebellum South, teaching the world that white slave owners were benevolent caregivers. This practice erased centuries of abuse, family separation, rape, and murder that plagued the African American community. This misinformation and the racism caused by these changes form the basis for American literature since the late 19th centuries. Children's books during this era were designed to mend the crippled relationship between the north and south caused by secession. These books were used to teach everything from counting and reading, to table manners and basic hygiene. In many cases, these books were the children's first exposure to the outside world. White supremacists used this vulnerability to their advantage by including racist depictions in children's literature, encouraging racial bias to continue. The Story of Dr. Dolittle, first published in 1920, includes a scene where an African prince asks Dolittle to help bleach his skin so he can marry a white princess. Dolittle has the prince put his face is a bowl of lye, and when he lifts his face, he has white skin and gray eyes. This demonizes interracial relationships and prioritize whiteness, further spreading the racist ideas held in the 1920s.These stories are passed down with each generation and the negative effects of slavery were forgotten as the south rewrote history to fit the Old South. They mended their relationship to the north, labeled the Black community the enemy, and allowed for racist ideas to be shared from one generation to the next, ensuring the continuation of racial inequality and discrimination. Citation: Hugh Lofting, 'Chapter 12: Medicine and Magic,' The Story of Doctor Dolittle, Lit2Go Edition, (1920), accessed February 03, 2021, https://etc.usf.edu/lit2go/221/the-story-of-doctor-dolittle/5626/chapter-12-medicine-and-magic/.