Original Sins: Indigenous America and US Systemic Racism

The history of racism in the US is long and complex with extensive structures and racialized framing, in particular an original and ongoing sin is the violent oppression of Indigenous people in the US. The overall racialized framing is called the White racial frame and includes an anti-Indigenous subframe. Much historical and social evidence exists for this frame and its associated subframe intentionally subordinating Indigenous people and other racialized groups. This racialized aspect coupled with class and gender dimensions creates a triple helix that serves to oppress Indigenous peoples from all sides. Indigenous people are not passive and have actively resisted this framing and triple helix since the early sixteenth century utilizing their own philosophy, knowledge, and narratives. This chapter concludes with a brief discussion about how human resource development, organizations, and leaders should learn about Indigenous peoples and their history, culture, and variety to better advocate for and include employees.