What were the prevailing attitudes towards black people in relation to other types of people before the U.S. civil rights movement in various nations? Was there a prevailing European, Middle-Eastern, Asian opinion?
Generally the same as in the US, at least in Europe (though those in Europe who weren’t “racists” were definitely patronizing). The general feeling was that blacks were an inferior race because they couldn’t stand up to the Shining Light of Modern, Enlightened European Civilization, or some such nonsense.
And I don’t know why I put “racists” in quotes.
Because the term didn’t exist until after WWII? Before that, it was “racialist.”