Richmond planet. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1883-1938, 1910-05-21
Paper by Prof. Frank BOaz. of CO.
lumbia University, Before the
National Negro Conference.

The first question to be answered
by scientific investigation is in how
far the Negro type may be consider
ed the inferior, the White type as
the superior.
When we consider inferiority and
superiority from a general biological
point of view. it must be interpreted
as meaning that one type is nearer
10 certain ancestral forms than
another. In this sense, the anthropo-
logist must say that in certain re
spects the Negro resembles the hy-
pothetical ancestral forms Of man
more than does the European: while
in other respects the European shows
greater similarity 10 the supposed an
cestral form. Among the Negro race
IL lis particularly the form of the face
that reminds of the ancestral forms
of man. while in regard 20 the pro
portions of the body, and particularly
the length OF the limbs, the Negro is
more remote from ancestral forms
than is the European.
On the whole. the morphological
characteristics OF the two races show
rather a specialized development I'm
different directions than "a higher de-
velopment in the one race as COM
pared 20 the other.
The objection will be raised that
the low stage of culture OF the Afri-
can race in many parts of America,
as well as in Africa. shows clearly
a lack of mental power. because 9th
er-wise the Negro race might have
developed a civilization similar 20
that OF Europe. In answer 60 this OBJ
lection We must remember that. on
the whole. our conception OF Afri-
can conditions is based altogether too
much upon the condition OF the un-
educated descendant Of the American
Negro slave. ANY one who is IA
miliar with chronological facts will
recognize that the conditions under
which the American slave population
developed is apt to destroy what lit
tie culture may have existed. The
complete break with the African past:
the imposition of labor, in the results
OF which the slave had no direct
interest; the difhculty of assimnating
the elements of civilization by which
they were surrounded. all tended
equality 20 reduce 20 a minimum the
amount OF independent cultural
achievement OF the group.
l think il is not saying too much
If / state that among the primitive
people Of the world the natives of
Central Africa are by far the most
advanced, ana that the type OF their
civilization belongs to the same level
OF culture which was found a few
thousand years ago over the west
ern part OF the old world, including
Europe and western Asia. If the At
ricans have not shared in the devel-
opment, which. after many vicissi-
tudes, gradually extended from
Egypt and Babylonia over the Medi-
terranean area, and from there later
into northern Europe. This is due TO
the fact that Africa occupied a much
more remote position in relation to
these countries, and tlat the current
OF civilization was carried with much
greater difficulty through the virgin
forests and deserts of Africa than
along the shores of the Mediterra-
mean and across the forests and
meadow-lands of Europe.
Thus 1t may safely be said that
there is no anthrOpological evidence
showing inferiOrity OF the Negro race
as compared with the White race, al
though we may assume that differ
ences IN mental characteristics of
the two races exist.