Racial Innocence, Child and (U.S. History)

The term racial innocence refers to a variety of racist ideologies. On the one hand, racial innocence is the belief that the United States has finally moved beyond its racist heritage—a belief that has been particularly prevalent since the election of America’s first Black president, Barack Obama. Racial innocence may also refer to a less dramatic belief, namely an acknowledgment on the part of Whites that racism is still an operative force but that somehow their own privilege is removed from its operation. This entry examines the historical origins of the term racial innocence and the unique ways it has been applied within the field of childhood studies