‘Remember it’s a sin to kill a mockingbird.’ wrote Harper Lee in her book, To Kill A Mockingbird.
One must think and listen to their own conscience before judging anything or making a significant decision. These words reiterate in my mind, echoing like a strummed musical instrument, though its tune not euphonious.

Racism. A single word containing the history of the anguish and sufferings which shackled supposed inferior races, its each letter carrying the burden of past engraved stereotypes and discerning cruelty faced by them. A cloudy illusion, still entwining us today.
Let’s us go back to the start, shall we?

The Beginning of Racism
In the late 1600s, Europeans started meeting the natives of Africa and just because they were of darker skin, judged them unjustly. They made up a so-called scientific theory to support these ideas as well. After a period of time, these “blacks” were considered to be lowly and subservient to them.

There Comes the Savior!
In the ensuing years, Abraham Lincoln became the 16th president of the United States of America. He vehemently opposed the idea of slavery and the merciless treatment of people just because of their skin color. He signed the Emancipation Proclamation on 1st January, 1863, to eradicate such prejudiced actions. Unfortunately, after Lincolns death, this turned out to a catalyst to these unfair practices. It greatly intensified the racist thoughts in the populace and the aim to obliterate it entirely, failed in a way. There was the Omaha Race Riot amongst many other riots that followed – where expulsions, persecution, lynching and other ruthless events took place.

Martin Luther King Jr. was also an important figure fighting a battle for the right to equality, and his protests started in mid 1900s. In the year 1963, he said his famous speech with words making the earth ignite with hope. These were “I have a dream that my four little children will one day live in a nation where they will not be judged by the color of their skin but by the content of their character. I have a dream today.”. He was arrested approximately 30 times during his attempts to achieve complete freedom and yet did not give up. He persevered, for his children, his family and his community.

Meanwhile, in 1900s Colonized Africa
“Apartheid” was widely prevalent in those times. It was an unjustifiable system where again, people with darker skin were dominated by the whites. Nelson Mandela was a hero for them, a shining beacon of resilience to guide them through their dark times. He was imprisoned for over 26 years – a selfless sacrifice.

After the Destructive World War Two
There was the migration of the Windrush generation, Caribbeans who were transported from their beloved islands to England, for work. Even then, most people looked at them with hostile glances and heartless eyes. They treated them like aliens and hurt them with racist terms and speech.

Fast Forward to the 2000s…
A new BLM movement (standing for Black Lives Matter) was launched. It was to finally embrace diversity and enhance culture and to put a stop to racial violence once and for all.

However, Is It Really the End?
Even after these perpetual attempts at abolishing racism and its disparities, it is still is present today – in little nooks and crannies of the world, embedded in politics, certain ideologies, etc.
It may be that every medium of entertainment is changed has some colored representation, but is that indeed enough to end it?

An example that racism still exists is the multibillion-dollar industry for whitening creams and products. They have been created by diabolical companies worldwide to play on the insecurities of a person not being white “enough”. Just saying hollow sentences to help is in a way pointless, when the damage is this great.

Many citizens of the globe have been negatively impacted and hurt by this bigotry. Studies show that the people who have experienced racism, may it be even once in their lives, have higher chances of developing mental ailments such as PTSD (post-traumatic stress disorder), stress, depression and anxiety.

When I write this essay, I write each word, every letter with a hopeful heart, that one day we can say that we are truly equal. That the unreasonable prejudice spreading like poison in our minds has finally been cleansed completely. Words are a powerful weapon and when used for the greater good, can bring an impetus in every individual. These are the stepping stones to the modernization of our mindset, to shaping our character. This dream, might someday be reality.

“I wonder why progress looks so much like destruction.” – John Steinbeck.
This quote, comforts me in a way, that development may look disastrous, but we must perceive it in a positive way. It reminds us that it is still not over. Racism might just be capable of redemption, if we endeavor to do so.