This page relies heavily on the document Dimensions of Racism available for download below. It was written by The Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) in cooperation with the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) in 2003; in which the interworkings of systemic racism are defined and discussed. Systemic racism exists within the very structures and way our society functions and is described furtherbelow. 

When defining what race it is important to remember is that it is a social construct. In other words, we made it up. So while I could define the few categories of "race", I rather point out that before the 18th century race, as  the construct we know it today, didn't even exist. Don't believe me? Take it from Britannica . Need a different perspective? in Dimensions of Race they write  "It is incorrect to speak of races on grounds of biology or genetics."  Interested in the exact science? Look into cheddarman and how his discovery proves the theory that race doesn't really exist.

Dictionary.com defines Ethnicity as: 

an ethnic group,  a social group that shares a common and distinctive culture, religion, language, or the like: ethnic traits, background, allegiance, or association. To read more about the imporatant distinction between race and ethnicity Click Here.

According to Professor James M. Jones there are three major types of racism: personally mediated, internalized, and institutionalized  

 According to Patricia Bidol in her book Developing New Perspectives on Race (1970) 

organizational racism: “the collective failure of an organization to provide an appropriate professional service to people because of their colour, culture or ethnic origin (Dimensions of Racism) 

System Racism is present in the workplace, in education, in health care and in the courts. It is to be found in the media and the Internet. It is imbued in how majorities see and treat ethnic minorities, immigrants and asylum-seekers. It is often present in the stereotypes. It can represent additional discrimination and suffering for women or those living with HIV/AIDS. (Dimensions of Racism). Systemic racism is defined by the structrues and paradigmes that maintain the oppresion of melanated people

First whiteness was established separate from ethnicity. This was to combat against uprisings like Nat Turner's Rebellion in 1831. Then after slavery was abolished  racialization was quickly recaptured via Jim Crow. According to Teresa J.Guess "African-descended Americans learned the normative rules of ‘racial etiquette'" which today we call codeswitching. The system has thence been perpetuated to current day.  Read more about it here. 

According the the New York Times this is a myth perpetuated by groups/people with a specific malicious intent. Groups like the Irish were indentured servants (upon the establishment of the colonies). This practice involved a contract (which inherently involves consent) whereas slavery is maintained by violence. 

According to Fredrick Douglass in his autobiography, " The irish, who, at home, readily sympathize with the oppressed everwhere, are instantly taught when they step upon our soil to hate and despise the negro. They are taught to believe that we eats the bread that belongs to him." 

Here we find that the American social caste system has been based on skin tone not just socioeconomic status, for a long time.

Yes