It seems to me that racism and white supremacy have been used to maintain power - political power, economic power, etc. Power over others. I am trying to capture that in a systemic drawing.
The things that feed into power are money, property, and public opinion. The White Supremacists who gained power in 1898 in Wilmington, NC used their power to change the laws so that they could keep their power.
The things that drain or threaten their power are economic losses, power struggles, competition, and support for Black leaders. Those in charge used the media to drum up fear, which played a large role in public opinion. If you want to drive an idea, you use the media to get your idea across. You also play to peoples' fears to keep your power over them intact. White supremacy and racism are drivers of fear.