"White People Were Slaves Too"

A Rebuttal to a Common Deflection

Recently, I posted a TikTok video addressing a common claim: that Black people can be racist toward white people. In the video, I explained why, in the context of systemic power and historical oppression, Black people cannot be racist toward European Americans. What happened next was both fascinating and frustrating. The majority of viewers didn’t even watch the full video—they stopped as soon as they heard me say that Black people can’t be racist toward white people. The result? Over 16,000 views and more than a 500 comments, most of which were European Americans having juvenile meltdowns in my comment section. This reaction isn’t new—it’s something Black people deal with all the time. But it highlights how deeply ingrained defensiveness and misunderstanding are when it comes to discussions about race and history.

One of the most common arguments that emerged in the comments was the claim that “white people were slaves too.” While this statement is technically true, it’s often used to deflect from the specific and systemic nature of the transatlantic slave trade and chattel slavery, which disproportionately affected Black people. Let’s break down why this argument is misleading and why it’s important to understand the full context.

The Historical Context of Slavery

It’s true that slavery has existed in many forms throughout history and has affected various groups, including white people. For example:

• In ancient Rome, slaves could be of any ethnicity.

• In the Ottoman Empire, white Europeans were sometimes enslaved.

• In colonial America, white indentured servants faced harsh conditions, though their servitude was typically temporary.

However, the transatlantic slave trade and chattel slavery in the Americas were uniquely brutal, racialized, and systemic. These systems were explicitly designed to dehumanize Black people and were rooted in racism, creating a legacy that still impacts society today.

Why the Transatlantic Slave Trade Was Different

1. Scale and Brutality: The transatlantic slave trade forcibly displaced and enslaved 12–15 million Africans, with millions dying during the horrific Middle Passage. This wasn’t just about labor—it was a system built on racial hierarchy, where Black people were treated as property, not human beings (Hugh Thomas, *The Slave Trade*; David Brion Davis, *Inhuman Bondage*).

2. Generational Impact: Unlike other forms of slavery, chattel slavery in the Americas was hereditary. Enslaved Black people and their descendants were legally considered property for life, with no hope of freedom for future generations. This created a cycle of exploitation and oppression that lasted for centuries (Orlando Patterson, *Slavery and Social Death*; Edward E. Baptist, *The Half Has Never Been Told*).

3. Economic Foundations: The wealth generated by enslaved Black labor built entire economies in Europe and the Americas. Industries like cotton, sugar, and tobacco relied entirely on enslaved labor, creating generational wealth for white slaveholders while leaving Black communities impoverished and marginalized (Edward E. Baptist, *The Half Has Never Been Told*).

4. Legacy of Racism: The racialized nature of chattel slavery laid the groundwork for systemic racism that persists today. From Jim Crow laws to mass incarceration, the effects of slavery continue to shape the lives of Black people in ways that other forms of slavery did not (Michelle Alexander, *The New Jim Crow*; Ibram X. Kendi, *Stamped from the Beginning*).

Why the “White People Were Slaves Too” Argument Is Problematic

The claim that “white people were slaves too” is often used to downplay or deflect from the specific experiences of Black people under chattel slavery. It’s a way of saying, “Everyone suffered, so why are we still talking about this?” But this argument ignores the racialized and systemic nature of the transatlantic slave trade, as well as its lasting impacts on Black communities.

When I posted my TikTok video, the reaction was a perfect example of this deflection. People were so triggered by the idea that Black people can’t be racist toward white people that they didn’t even bother to watch the full video. Instead, they flooded the comments with defensive arguments, including the “white people were slaves too” claim. This reaction shows how uncomfortable many people are with confronting the realities of systemic racism and the unique history of Black oppression. Never mind that I intentionally said European Americans, not white people.

Conclusion: Moving Forward with Understanding

The goal of these discussions isn’t to compare suffering or to say that one group’s pain matters more than another’s. It’s to understand the specific historical contexts of slavery and racism so we can address their lasting effects. Recognizing the unique experiences of Black people under chattel slavery doesn’t erase the suffering of others—it helps us build a more accurate and compassionate understanding of history.

The meltdown in my TikTok comments is a microcosm of a larger issue: many people are unwilling to engage with the uncomfortable truths about systemic racism and its roots in slavery. Instead of deflecting with claims like “white people were slaves too,” we need to listen, learn, and work toward a future where we can address the legacies of oppression without defensiveness or denial. Only then can we move forward together, with a shared understanding of the past and a commitment to justice for all.

References:

- Hugh Thomas, *The Slave Trade: The Story of the Atlantic Slave Trade, 1440–1870*.

- David Brion Davis, *Inhuman Bondage: The Rise and Fall of Slavery in the New World*.

- Orlando Patterson, *Slavery and Social Death: A Comparative Study*.

- Edward E. Baptist, *The Half Has Never Been Told: Slavery and the Making of American Capitalism*.

- Michelle Alexander, *The New Jim Crow: Mass Incarceration in the Age of Colorblindness*.

- Ibram X. Kendi, *Stamped from the Beginning: The Definitive History of Racist Ideas in America*.