What is like to be a white man working for a Black mans wages?

Question

"For the first two hundred years of American history, wealthy white employers and white churches constantly reinforced the poor whites' ideas about their superiority over blacks due to the color of their skin. Desperately desiring some power in society, poor whites gladly claimed this role, despite the obvious flaws in this argument. In Origins of the New South, C. Vann Woodward writes, "it took a lot of ritual and Jim Crow to bolster the creed of white supremacy in the bosom of a white man working for a black man's wages" (p.211) Poor whites and blacks share similar religious doctrines, family ties and community loyalty; yet have remained separated by racial animosity."

This is the conclusion of the following article:
http://xroads.virginia.edu/~MA97/price/race.htm
read for yourself.

Chuck M - WTF are you talking about. Did you even bother to read the details?

Answer 1

Most of you are completely missing the point- The point being that impoverished whites and blacks generally have more in common with each other than they do with people of other classes ... Yet, as stated in the article, they "have remained separated by racial animosity." Why are they "separated by racial animosity"? If you read the article you'll notice that it answers this question.

And the question the poster is asking is: What's it like to be a white person who shares much in common with poor black people, including their economic status?

I certainly can't speak for all white people, but I'll answer for myself and how I think family members (and other white people I know) feel and have felt...

Due to negative experiences, you perceive yourself as being hated by everyone. Whites (generally speaking, of course) despise you because you're "no better than a n*gger". (Their words, not mine.) You're "white trash". After all, there's no way you could live in the opportunity-laden United States and be impoverished unless you're lazy, criminal minded, inferior, etc... (Again- Their words.) People question whether or not you "have a little n*gger in you".

Blacks and other minorities (generally speaking, of course) detest you because you have the audacity to pretend that you have the same problems as they do. After all, there's no way that you, as a white person in the United States, could be poor unless, for some reason, you sought it. (Their words, not mine.)

On one hand, people think you're some genetic fluke- a black person in the body of a white person, a "white n*gger". You're a worthless subhuman. And, on the other hand, people think you've had a silver spoon surgically removed from your a*s.

"There's no reason why you can't get a good job. Just sign "white person" on your applications."
"Why do you want to live 'here' [white neighborhood]? I think you'd feel more comfortable in the 'other' [black] neighborhood."

Your world can be a very lonely place. And it's even worse if you have any types of relationships with minorities, particularly if you date/marry minorities- Because then you have to deal with all the stereotypes associated with that as well.

Answer 2

I just read your chart. It says black males get more money than black females in all years. 2004 data: Black males: $22,740 and black females: $18,379 Sociologists study these numbers. The numbers they tell you do not lie. On average, men make more than women, Asians make the most and white people get second.

Answer 3

I know this might be off subject, but whites tend to believe that the fact that we have made only a fraction of what they have with similar education from the 1880's to the 1980's has no bearing on today's blacks.

Answer 4

there's no such thing as a white man working Black man wages. The wages that people make are based on what the company/corporation pays its employees and also based on their experience in that field.

Answer 5

Robert Shelton we all know that you don't have a job...your the homeless dude that begs for money in San Fransisco

Answer 6

Kinda the same as a woman doing the same job as a man and being paid less, I would think.

Answer 7

I love you Black Man.

Answer 8

I feel like I'm broke! Thank G-d for credit cards!

Answer 9

YOU RACIST HAVE "NO IDEA" WHAT $0.02 MAKES! AND IF YA'LL EVEN HAVE A JOB, MUST BE NICE TO SIT ON YOUR ASSES FOR 15+ HRS ON YAHOO ANSWERS HARRASSING PEOPLE AND SPREADING YOUR HATE!!

PPL- TELL THE TRUTH, IF YOUR ON HERE CONTINUALLY THROUGHOUT THE DAY, YOUR NOT WORKING! YOUR ON UNEMPLOYMENT, A STAYHOME MOM, OR ON WELFARE!!

AND YES! I AGREE WITH THE FIRST LADY! PROBABLY FEEL LIKE WOMEN DO WHEN THEY WORK THEIR *** OFF AND MAKE LESS THEN A TRIFFLIN MAN DOES DOIN THE SAME DAMN JOB!!

Answer 10

what is it like you mean , didn't know their was a black man wage.....