White ain't nothing.' Mama's grip did not lessen. 'It is something, Cassie. White is something just like black is something. Everybody born on this Earth is something, and nobody, no matter what color is better than anybody else.'' Then how come Mr. Simms don't know that.'' Because he's one of those people who has to believe that white people are better than black people to make himself feel big.' I stared questionably at Mama, not really understanding. Mama squeezed my hadn't and explained further, 'You see, Cassie, many years ago, when our people were fist brought from Africa in chains to work as slaves in this country--'' Like Big Ma's Papa and Mama?'Mama nodded. "Yes, baby. Like Papa Luke and Mama Rachael. Except they were born right here is Mississippi, but their grandparents were born in Africa. And when they came, there was some white people who thought that is was wrong for any people to be slaves. So the people who needed slaves to work in their fields and the people who were making money bringing slaves from Africa preached that black people weren't really people like white people were, so slavery was all right. They also said that slavery was good for us because it thought us to be good Christians, like the white people.' She sighed deeply, her voice fading into a distant whisper, 'But they didn't teach us Christianity to save our souls, but to teach us obedience. They were afraid of slave revolts and they wanted us to learn the Bible's teachings about slaves being loyal to their masters. But even teaching Christianity didn't make us stop wanting to be free and many slaves ran away. Mildred D. Taylor
About This Quote

The word "white" is a racial epithet. It's a derogatory term, basically meaning "non-black." It's used to describe people who are not black. It has been used to dehumanize and degrade people of color, but also whites. Whites are also racists because they believe that whites are superior to blacks and that's why they always try to keep them down.

Whites can use "white" as an adjective or a noun. Most often, it is used as an adjective, such as "the white man," or as a noun, such as "white supremacy." But sometimes it is used in both ways: "The white man (or woman)" and "white supremacy." White people and white supremacy are used interchangeably in the same sentence. Most often, it is said that whites do not like to be compared to nonwhites and that no one should see them in non-whites' shadows.

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