Wedded to Segregation

Hello {{ first name | friends}},

As some of you know, I spent a few days in Panama in early March. It was a phenomenal trip in many ways. In part, that was because of much needed rest and a social media sabbatical. But it was also because I got to see one of the modern wonders of the world, the Panama Canal, and to find out more about its history.

One of the reasons I'm talking about it here is because there's a history of colonialism that runs alongside its creation - both ancient and modern. At the Canal itself, a video narrated by Morgan Freeman tells of the efforts by many people, mainly Spanish, to create a throughway so they wouldn't have to go the treacherous long way round past Tierra del Fuego to get to the other side of the world. And while it was a story of exploration for sure, I couldn't help but be struck by the complete lack of care for the Indigenous inhabitants of the time.

But that wasn't the worst bit. A couple days later we went to the Panama Canal Museum in Casco Viejo, the city's old town (why it's not at the Canal itself, I'll never know). There were a couple of floors of fascinating exhibits, but the section that resonated with me most was about the early days of building the Canal. It gave new insight to what I already thought I knew.

For example, I know that Barbadians helped build the Canal, but I had not realised that at 19,000 of the total of 31,000, they were by far the largest national group, and descendants of those workers still live in Panama today.

But the thing that shocked me a bit, though it shouldn't have, was the determination of the Americans involved in the project to impose their segregationist attitudes on everyone, and their success in doing so.

This applied to employment, with white folx having most of the "better" jobs.

It applied to housing, with differences between the way housing for white folx and others were finished and kitted out.

It applied to pay: white folx were in the Gold Roll category and got a better rate and cash in hand. Everyone else was in the Silver Roll category with a lower rate and wages that accumulated.

It applied to education, with different schools for white people and for those of West Indian origin (that didn't change till 1955).

It applied to healthcare, with differences in what was available for different groups. It even applied to shopping. Gold Roll folx had access to better products in the commissary.

And of course, Silver Roll folx were deemed to be more "criminal" and were over-policed. Remind you of anything?

As I said, I guess I shouldn't be surprised that this happened, but I was anyway. The export of discrimination seemed a step further than necessary, for sure. The creators envisioned an "ideal community" with strict control over anyone not racialised as white (that seems familiar, too, doesn’t it?). Even in publicity photos taken for the construction project it was noticeable that white folx were in front and Black folx behind - that situation went on for quite some time.

It's said that working on the Canal was a step up from the post-enslavement societies - and that's no doubt true, but it seems to me there were features in common. And with resegregation looking like it's becoming a thing in the United States, I can't help but see parallels in the determination of the 47th president to control education, access to healthcare, to over police, to under resource and to ignore and hide the truth. I wonder if that lands with you, too?

If you're reading this newsletter, you're no doubt already doing this, but when you see parallels with history, don't gaslight yourself. Instead, ask yourself how you can show up in this moment and live your values? I'd love to hear how you are fighting the current tide of bigotry, wherever you are (because it's not just happening in the USA.

Thanks for reading,

Sharon

P.S. I talked about this on the latest episode of What Sharon Said, which is available on YouTube.

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I am an anti-racism educator and activist, the author of “I’m Tired of Racism”, and co-host of The Introvert Sisters podcast.

© Sharon Hurley Hall, 2025. All Rights Reserved. This newsletter is published on beehiiv (affiliate link).