British Imperialism and its Legacies: The British Empire’s Racist Legacy
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Glasgow Museums has a collection of objects that offer some testimony to the persistence and pervasiveness of racism as a legacy of transatlantic slavery and colonialism. These objects represent a range of experiences of racism – erasure, violence, segregation, and dehumanisation – in Scotland and around the world.
Transatlantic slavery and the British Empire were justified by white supremacy: the idea that white people are superior to all others. White supremacy was reinforced by pseudo-science that claimed certain ‘races’ had superior or inferior characteristics, and this was used to further justify the colonisation and exploitation of people around the world. These ideas were disseminated to the public through education, museum displays, arts and culture. This ‘science’ has no basis in reality, but to this day, the ‘invention’ of white supremacy – and thus modern racism – shapes our societies, institutions and interpersonal relationships.
This collection of objects speaks to some of those experiences of racism. Help us broaden the story we tell. What objects do you feel are missing here? What should we focus on collecting in the future? Get in touch to share your thoughts.
- Broader term
British Imperialism and its Legacies: Enduring Legacies of Empire
- Narrower term