The Origin of Races and Color

by Martin R. Delany

Of the books authored by Martin R. Delany (1812-1885), The Origin of Races and Color is perhaps the most obscure. Out-of-print until now, it has been available to the public only through select libraries. At the time of its publication in 1879, this valuable resource presented a bold challenge to racist views of African inferiority. Delany wrote in opposition to a developing oppressive intellectualism that used Darwin's thesis, "the survival of the fittest," to support its demented theories of Black inferiority.

Skillfully blending biblical history, archaeology and anthropology, Delany offered evidence to the "serious inquirer" suggesting the first humans were African, and that these Africans were ". . . builders of the pyramids, sculptors of the sphinxes, and original god-kings. . . ." With such radical assertions, Delany advanced a model of ancient history that contradicted the very foundation of intellectual racism. He believed knowledge of one's past was essential, and that it could provide Black people with the regenerative force necessary to inspire their self-improvement. Were he alive today, Delany would certainly feel at home with the present generation of Africancentrists, especially since he developed and articulated so many of their arguments more than a century ago.

Genres: Politics, History

95 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1990

About the author

Martin Robinson Delany was an African-American abolitionist, journalist, physician, soldier, writer and proponent of black nationalism. Delany was born in Charles Town, Virginia and raised and in Chambersburg and Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.

In 1850, Delany was among the first three black students admitted to Harvard Medical School, from which they were dismissed weeks after their admission due to student protests. Delany traveled throughout the South in 1839 to observe slavery there, and in 1847 started working with Frederick Douglass to publish North Star, an anti-slavery newspaper.

At the outbreak of the American Civil War in 1861, Delany returned to the United States after living in Canada and visiting Liberia. By 1863, Delany was recruiting blacks for the United States Colored Troops. In 1865, Delany became the first African-American field grade officer in the United States Army, having been commissioned as a major. After the American Civil War, Delany settled in South Carolina and pursued a political career before his death in 1885 as a member of both the Republican and Democratic parties.

Reviews

[Jeff · Rating 3 out of 5]

One of the earliest works of Black Egyptology, anthropology and archaeology , this book serves as a defense against theories of Social Darwinism, Eurocentrism and Racial Science which was used to justify the rollback of Reconstruction and the institution of Jim Crow in the South. Challenging racist notions of inherent black genetic inferiority, Delany uses his a number of disciplines to reach the conclusions that Black People founded the first civilizations of human history. Though some of his racial theories has obviously been debunked by recent scientific discoveries, Delany did manage to reveal truths that are also backed by those same recent scientific discoveries. This book serves as snapshot into a time where Black People in this country were attacked in multiple ways, and also defended themselves properly on multiple fronts. May he rest, with this work, Delany birthed DuBois,Firmin, Diop , Mohamed Duse Ali, Marcus Garvey, Molefi K. Asante, Jacob H. Carruthers and more who have battled on this field for Afrikan emancipation.

[Born Uhuru · Rating 3 out of 5]

Martin Delany had me until he started using biblical text to try to reason with the flawed scholarship of Euro-Asiatic racism. I applaud him for his efforts but I expected more. I expected the "Africa for Africans" approach to challenge this twisted logic of racial superiority. Off to his next work.