Nearly everyone in the middle of the 19th century was a racist.
Please stop this - you are only adding towards IM2's confusion.
Racism derives out of religious issues. Namely Jews claiming to be God's chosen ones and claiming some piece of land solely belonging to Jews, due to their God having it promised to them.
Therefore any non-Jew (according to Jews) is automatically defined as being inferior to a Jew. So the term
inferior comes in - not racist or racism.
The second stage appears when Christians or Muslims who defined pagans or infidels to be
inferior to members of their respective religion. Again it's not racist or racism.
Third stage: is a baptized African or a Muslim African also inferior to a Spanish or English Christian or an Arab/Turkish Muslim?
So according to religion - they are all brothers and sisters of the respective same beliefs - therefore can't be inferior. See the Pope's disposition in the 16th century towards inhabitants of the new world.
Are there differences in intelligence, culture and social structure of a baptized African or a Muslim African - compared to a white European or Arab/Turkish Muslim?
The commonly accepted and irrefutable true answer was - sure, 100%, yes no doubt what so ever. - this is when race/ethnicity comes up as an additional defining issue towards inferiority. - but it isn't about racism or racist.
Is inferiority therefore only or simply subjected towards race/color? NO - but the cultural, social-environment standard - defined by Europeans or Arab/Turks in comparison to e.g. Black Africans.
4th stage; the ongoing conquest and colonization by Europeans/Whites towards the globe. This brought the main component into play in regards to defining inferiority of others - weapon technology.
Though e.g. Indians and Chinese having the same or even higher cultural or social-environment standards - their inability to match Western military technology made them inferior in the judgement of Europeans. Bringing about a remark such as e.g. Dumb yellow buggers don't even have a proper army. - and this sets the basis of what today refers to as being racist or a racist remark.
Basing superiority or inferiority upon other humans simply onto the standard of military technology, whilst totally disregarding existing cultural socio standards or achievments by other nations. Colonialism therefore had a devastating effect onto the previous development of other cultures.
War ridden and with their society structure being disabled/destroyed and controlled, and thus thrown backwards in their development and subjected to ongoing Western Imperialism.
As for Africa - there was no such negative impact - simply due to Black Africa in the 15th - to 19th century being nowhere close to a culture or civilized social structure. totally independent or regardless of Western military technology. Actually thanks to Western Imperialism - civilization enhancements were actually and indisputably brought into Africa. From how to set up and run a profitable farming or agricultural business to education-schools, medical support and institutions and infrastructure related enhancements. Even a simple dirt-road or a deeper dug well proved to be a civilization highlight for Black Africans.
So and this is the place where today's US Blacks derive from. Some manged to develop or dig into the existing Western culture and civilization standards - the vast majority simply didn't posses the freedom to do so - but having to survive as slaves - just as they were already used to, and absolutely familiar and conform with this live-style from Black Africa.
Since the mid 60's Black Africans have the exact same possibilities towards enhancement - just as any other race or ethnicity in the USA. But essentially the vast majority possesses the same born with abilities as those who came from Black-Africa. One can study this very well in regards to Asian countries that gained or regained independence from the mid 60"s - due to their previous and partially still existing culture and developed sociological-habits - they all excelled in their own development.
Black African countries? total shit-holes and totally devastated by crime, corruption and tribal genocidal warfare. Not even due to Black-African nations fighting each other - but simply by murdering each other within their own countries.
So is there racism? as racism is being defined since the early 20th century? - off course - e.g. the KKK is a classic example - so is this nose-ringed and tattooed white trash fellow who blames his misfortunes onto anything else (maybe Blacks) but himself. Millions of white and Black Americans blaming China's economic rise onto being evil yellow communists and stealing US IP rights. And millions of Black Americans preferring hip hop amongst burning oil drums and a little shoot out with other tribal gangs living next door, whilst engaging endlessly into fathering fatherless children - just as in good old Black Africa.
So fuck those racists - man, naturally incl. IM2.