Was Blind, But Now I See: White Race Concsiousness and the Law

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NEW Y O R K U N I V E R S I T Y P R E S S New Yor k an d Londo n Copyright © 199 8 b y New Yor k Universit y All rights reserve d Library o f Congres s Cataloging-in-Publicatio n Dat a Flagg, Barbara J. , 1947 Was blind , bu t no w I see : white rac e consciousnes s an d th e la w / Barbara J . Flagg . p. cm . Includes index . ISBN 0-8147-2643- 7 (clot h : alk. paper ) 1. Afro-Americans—Lega l status , laws, etc. 2 . Rac e discrimination—Law an d legislation—Unite d States . 3 . Unite d States—Race relations . I . Title . KF4757.F59 199 8 346.7301'3—dc21 97-2116 2 CIP New Yor k Universit y Pres s book s ar e printed o n acid-fre e paper , and thei r bindin g material s ar e chosen fo r strengt h an d durability . Manufactured i n the United State s o f Americ a 10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1 To my mentors Ruth Bade r Ginsbur g Herma Hil l Ka y Amazing grace! How sweet the sound, That saved a wretch like mel I once was lost, but now am found, Was blind, but now I see, —John Newton John Newto n (1725-1807 ) wa s captai n o f a slav e shi p fro m 1750 t o 1754 , bu t a religiou s conversio n graduall y le d hi m to repudiat e hi s forme r occupatio n an d eventuall y t o writ e an antislaver y pamphle t title d "Thought s upo n th e Africa n Slave Trade. " Newton' s accoun t o f th e realitie s o f th e slav e trade wa s perhap s th e mos t detaile d the n i n circulation . I t contributed greatl y t o th e succes s o f th e Englis h Abolitionis t movement. ...