An Indian's Looking-Glass For The White Man by William Apess

Daniely Modesto

Engl. 48A

William Apess

“Or have you the folly to think that the white man, being one in fifteen or sixteen, are the only beloved images of God?”

According to Barry O'Connell (listed below), Apes changed his name to Apess is his later publications and in the legal documents of 1836 and 1837. His family members continue to use the spelling Apes.
By Paul P. Reuben

In “An Indian's Looking-Glass for the White Man”, William Apess writes about religion, racism and its injustice. Apess shows his anger for the mistreatment the Indians and other races suffer from the predominant white Christians, raising the idea that the bible and the concept of religion should be revised.

Apess writes the essays for the whites, who are the dominant society at the time, pointing his finger in the white society’s face, Apess raise questions such as "Is not religion the same now under a colored skin as it ever was? If so, I would ask, why is not a man of color respected?" (1055), Apess points out that Christianity distinguishes race and do not support the Bible. Apess claims that if God loves only white people why did he create fifteen other races? “Who are the children of God? Perhaps you may say, none but white. If so, the word of the Lord is not true,"(1056), Apess also emphasizes that neither Jesus nor his disciples were white skinned and why are the whites superior? Apess cannot understand the reason why other races have to be passive and inferior to the whites. Apess essay shows the strong words of a mixed blood man seeking for an equality life style for everybody, and the right reasons to believe in God.