[Marxism] Notes on David Brion Davis' review

[bhandari at berkeley.edu]

Hi Mark Lause,
David Brion Davis is interested in the roots of anti black racism. He
looks for its roots in the medieval Islamic racialization of the Curse of
Ham. I cast doubt on whether racism should be seen as continuous with such
a twisted interpretation of the Old Testament and in Islamic ideas
generally.

In other words, I argue that racism is novel, late modern and Western
ideology.

Following Frederickson, I also underlined what a twisted interpretation of
the Bible the racialization of the curse of Ham was since the curse fell
on Canaan, not Cush who was agreed to be the progenitor of the African
race.

I am sorry my point was not clearer. I thought I had written well.

Yours, Rakesh