Mississippi segregationists’ racism was sincerely rooted in their Baptist theology, not hypocrisy

Evidence

The Hedermans were to segregation what Joseph Goebbels was to Hitler. They were cheerleaders and chief propagandists, dishonest and racist. They helped shape as well as reflect a philosophy, which was, at its core, as undemocratic and immoral as any extant. They weren’t hypocrites. They believed it. They believed blacks were the sons of Ham. The Hedermans were bone-deep racists whose religion 120 years ago decided that question. — Robert P. Jones, White Too Long, 117

Categorization

• DEFINE: Explicitly states that these men’s belief in blacks as sons of Ham was genuinely religious, situating their racism as theological conviction rather than cynical cover.
• XREF: connects to: A prominent American fundamentalist preached that God authored racial segregation — Katherine Stewart, The Power Worshippers: Inside the…, 247; Segregationist preachers patronized Black audiences while demanding gratitude for past white charity — Katherine Stewart, The Power Worshippers: Inside the…, 248; Mississippi governor Ross Barnett fused segregationist politics with Baptist Christian theology — Robert P. Jones, White Too Long: The Legacy of White…, 118 (+3 more)

Broader Connections

• Mississippi Baptist clergy publicly defended racial segregation in explicitly white supremacist terms #corroborates (0.95) — Robert P. Jones, White Too Long, 122
• Segregationist theology divorced the cross from any demand for racial justice #expands (0.85) — Robert P. Jones, White Too Long, 123