This paper offers a conceptual analysis of ability discourse using the theoretical lens of critical whiteness studies and the methodological framework of critical discourse analysis. From its origins in the Progressive Era to contemporary debates on tracking, the concept of giftedness has been formed through racial projects throughout US history. Through these projects, the concept of "giftedness" became synonymous with "whiteness", and gifted education has served to maintain white privilege both within and between US schools. While counter-discourse on giftedness has been dominated by scholars working outside the field of gifted education, there is a growing critique of this concept within the field of gifted education.