Markovitz would argue that the concept of a “racial spectacle” is a fundamental aspect of Omni and Winant’s theory of a “racial project.” Without “racial spectacles” you would have a much less evidence and history of “racial projects” In other words, if you did not include “racial spectacles” in your knowledge of “racial projects,” you would be missing a very big piece of the story. The definition of “racial project” and “racial formation” are necessary to fully understand Omi and Winant’s concepts, and then Markovitz’s definition of “racial spectacle” is required to show how they all come together and are interlocked. Omi and Winant define “racial project” as an interpretation, representation and an explanation of racial dynamics, using both …show more content…
Because “racial formations” are an outcome of “racial projects,” they must also be partly outcomes of “racial spectacles.” Markovitz points this out and claims that “racial spectacles” are central sites of the battles within “racial formation” (7). At first, the effects of lynching as a racial project are used as a way for white supremacists to keep power, although they communicated that it was their way of protecting “southern womanhood” (8). Even as lynching rates declined slightly, the practice still created a sense of white unity (9). Conversely, groups such as the NAACP and the black press, turned the widespread lynching practice into a hybrid spectacle (9). In a way, they changed the narrative, by choosing to make spectacles of such graphic lynching scenes, they would use these spectacles to push their message, that what was truly at the heart of lynchings was undeniably racism. They did not want any lynching to go unnoticed. In this way, they got to challenge the way lynching was both understood and remembered (12). Because of their efforts, southern politicians became much more likely to condemn such actions, than in the past decade (11). This is precisely a “racial formation-” because of the “racial spectacle” of lynching, and it’s “racial project,” political and societal change occurred, even if