There has been and continues to be much discussion on what it means to be socially colored “black in America.”  Cases, including that of Trayvon Martin and George Zimmerman, encourage many persons’ view of “the Negro (as a) problem” and “the white man’s a burden.” But there is a steady increase of interest in and discussions of whiteness, white privilege and even white theology (See James Perkinson’s White Theology: Outing Supremacy in Modernity).  There is even a whiteness studies department in some institutions of higher learning.

By way of The Harvard Bookstore, Dr. Painter, the Edwards Professor of American History Emeritus at Princeton University, discusses the history of the idea of race as it relates to white races; yes, that’s plural.  She challenges the uses of race in antiquity, examines the “science” of race, proves the creation of white-ness and so much more!  She begins her lecture by reading from her book The History of White People.