Chapter 3 Flashcards
What is the summary or intent of Chapter 3, “An American Untouchable”?
The chapter draws a powerful connection between the caste system in India and the racial hierarchy in the U.S. through Martin Luther King Jr.’s visit to India. It reframes the Black American experience as one of caste-based oppression and introduces the idea that the U.S. has an entrenched caste system similar to India’s, even if it goes unacknowledged.
Why was Martin Luther King Jr. referred to as “a fellow untouchable” during his visit to India?
Indian school officials identified with King as someone who, like the Dalits (Untouchables), was subjected to systemic oppression. This comparison helped King realize that Black Americans live under a caste system similar to India’s.
How does Wilkerson argue that “race” is insufficient to explain America’s social hierarchy?
She claims that caste is a more accurate term, as it captures the structural, inherited, and rigid nature of social ranking, while “race” is a superficial, shifting label that doesn’t fully explain systemic inequality
What metaphor does Wilkerson use to describe the role of caste in American society?
She compares caste to DNA or an operating system—an invisible but deeply embedded code that shapes social, political, and economic interactions in the U.S.
What historical evidence does Wilkerson present to show that America operates under a caste system?
She references abolitionist Charles Sumner, social economist Gunnar Myrdal, and anthropologist Ashley Montagu, all of whom argued that America’s race problem is actually a caste problem.
What similarities does Wilkerson highlight between India’s caste system and America’s racial hierarchy?
Both assign value based on birth, are reinforced through culture, law, and religion, and create psychological boundaries that are hard to break—even among those who oppose them.
What did Wilkerson realize during her conversation with the Indian academic she identified as upper caste?
She observed that caste behaviors and expectations can be so deeply internalized that even well-meaning people unknowingly perform their caste roles, revealing how difficult caste conditioning is to overcome.
When and how did the American caste system begin, according to Wilkerson?
It began in 1619 with the arrival of Africans in Virginia. Over time, colonial laws created distinctions between European and African laborers, eventually defining “white” as a dominant caste and “Black” as the bottom caste.
What is the significance of Julia C. Collins’ 1865 novel The Curse of Caste?
It’s one of the first novels written by a Black American woman and uses the language of caste to explore the limitations and injustice placed on African Americans, showing early recognition of caste in America.
What concept does Wilkerson preview at the end of this chapter that she will explore in more depth later?
She introduces the idea of the “eight pillars of caste,” common features found across caste systems in India, Nazi Germany, and the U.S., which she will detail in future chapters.
