Whiteness is not just a racial identity; it is a system of power that has shaped American law, culture, and institutions, often in ways that are invisible to those who benefit from it. From slavery to segregation, whiteness has functioned as the unspoken default, setting the terms for who belongs, who has access, and who is marginalized. This normalization of white culture, values, and perspectives has shaped everything from legal rulings to church structures, often reinforcing racial disparities under the guise of neutrality. Yet, as scholars like Nell Irvin Painter, Ian Haney López, and Martin Luther King Jr. remind us, racial categories are not fixed realities but social constructs designed to maintain power structures. If we are to dismantle these deeply ingrained systems, we must first recognize how whiteness continues to define the boundaries of belonging and access. By examining its historical roots and ongoing influence, we can move toward a society, and a church, where justice is not constrained by racial assumptions, and inclusion is more than a symbolic gesture.