French civilizing mission rhetoric and policy were racist throughout the Third Republic.

Evidence

To the extent that racism is defined as the perception that certain groups-including Jews and various immigrant groups, as well as non-Western peoples of color-were fundamentally different from and inferior to white Europeans, then French officialdom was guilty of thinking in racialized categories and implementing oppressive measures throughout the life of the Third Republic. Both the language of the civilizing mission and French policies in West Africa, therefore, were racist. — Alice L. Conklin, A Mission to Civilize_ The Republican…, 46

Categorization

• XREF: Challenges the notion that French ‘assimilation’ was colorblind or benevolent compared to other empires.