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Sex and Race, Volume 1: Negro-Caucasian Mixing in All Ages and All Lands ― The Old World
Classic work of black study provides detailed historico-biographical surveys of black history
In the Sex and Race series, first published in the 1940s, historian Joel Augustus Rogers questioned the concept of race, the origins of racial differentiation, and the root of the "color problem." Rogers surmised that a large percentage of ethnic differences are the result of sociological factors and in these volumes he gathered what he called "the bran of history"―the uncollected, unexamined history of black people―in the hope that these neglected parts of history would become part of the mainstream body of Western history. Drawing on a vast amount of research, Rogers was attempting to point out the absurdity of racial divisions. Indeed his belief in one race―humanity―precluded the idea of several different ethnic races. The series marshals the data he had collected as evidence to prove his underlying humanistic that people were one large family without racial boundaries. Self-trained and self-published, Rogers and his work were immensely popular and influential during his day, even cited by Malcolm X. The books are presented here in their original editions.
In the Sex and Race series, first published in the 1940s, historian Joel Augustus Rogers questioned the concept of race, the origins of racial differentiation, and the root of the "color problem." Rogers surmised that a large percentage of ethnic differences are the result of sociological factors and in these volumes he gathered what he called "the bran of history"―the uncollected, unexamined history of black people―in the hope that these neglected parts of history would become part of the mainstream body of Western history. Drawing on a vast amount of research, Rogers was attempting to point out the absurdity of racial divisions. Indeed his belief in one race―humanity―precluded the idea of several different ethnic races. The series marshals the data he had collected as evidence to prove his underlying humanistic that people were one large family without racial boundaries. Self-trained and self-published, Rogers and his work were immensely popular and influential during his day, even cited by Malcolm X. The books are presented here in their original editions.
- GenresHistoryNonfictionRace
314 pages, Paperback
First published November 1, 1940
43 people are currently reading
429 people want to read
About the author
J.A. Rogers
54 books125 followersLibrarian Note: There is more than one author by this name in the Goodreads data base.
Joel Augustus Rogers was a Jamaican-American author, journalist, and historian who contributed to the history of Africa and the African diaspora, especially the history of African Americans in the United States. His research spanned the academic fields of history, sociology and anthropology. He challenged prevailing ideas about race, demonstrated the connections between civilizations, and traced African achievements. He was one of the greatest popularizers of African history in the 20th century.
Joel Augustus Rogers was a Jamaican-American author, journalist, and historian who contributed to the history of Africa and the African diaspora, especially the history of African Americans in the United States. His research spanned the academic fields of history, sociology and anthropology. He challenged prevailing ideas about race, demonstrated the connections between civilizations, and traced African achievements. He was one of the greatest popularizers of African history in the 20th century.
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Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews
September 8, 2017
I didn't say this in my other reviews but I have to say it because not one single so called researcher about our history and culture has mentioned this man's name EVER and it it's sad to know that they use his work and sell it as their own but won'town up to who it truly belongs to and so I say or rather I give praise to this beautiful and brilliant man who put in the work and spoke truth to it. If anyone is starting out wanting to know more about us or just where you really come from I highly recommend you start with Mr. Rogers. You will def learn and wake up to the real deal.
April 23, 2018
J.A Rogers is simply amazing! I've learned so much about my history. I wish I would've known about him earlier in my years. Rogers was a man who was ahead of his time. I appreciate his hard work, and I will be reading parts II and III of Sex and Race.
June 26, 2024
THE FIRST VOLUME OF A PATHBREAKING HISTORICAL WORK
Joel Augustus Rogers (1880-1966) was a Jamaican-American author, journalist, and historian. He wrote in the introductory chapter of this 1946 book, “As I grew older I revolted more and more at [the] asininity concocted by ‘the master race’ but I had no books at hand to contradict it, nor knowledge of any kind. To make matters worse I had from a Negro friend of mine a book in which this alleged inherent inferiority [of blacks] was stressed… I began to search for some world figures that were of Negro ancestry. However, there was not a single one to be found, so carefully had they been expurgated by the masters… it was not until years later that I found in Chicago a friend who introduced me to books in which I found the names of several great men of Negro ancestry, past and present. In my spare time, and with no thought of writing a book, I began to collect some of their names. That was about 1911.” (Pg. 4-5)
He continues, “I noticed that books alleging inherent Negro inferiority continued to appear… All of these, I felt, should be answered not with sentiment… but with facts… I decided also that those who were really interested in righting the Negro’s wrongs in a concrete way ought to welcome any knowledge that would equip them with the means of refutation of Negro inferiority… I also made what was to me an important discovery, namely, that the recital of the deeds of the great or the worthy, was instinctive in humanity. I found that all peoples---English, French, Germans, Spaniards, Italians, Americans, Chinese, Jews, Moslems---had lists of their great and noted men… To bring out the best in ourselves … a study of the live of the great of all races, ages, and climes is a necessity.” (Pg. 6-7)
He explains, “This brings me to what is usually meant by ‘Negro’ ancestry. What most scientists and sociologists call a ‘Negro’… is a highly specialized and very primitive type that has been isolated in Central Africa or New Guinea for thousands of years… When, however, it is a question of what is not very creditable, the Negro variety is made to include hundreds of millions of individuals, some of whom are more Nordic in color and features than many whites… As to who is a Negro in the United States, I have come to the conclusion after long and careful thought that to be an expert on that subject the first qualification is to be crazy.” (Pg. 11-12)
He concludes, “My contention is that those who look white are white, and those who look mixed, are mixed, no matter what side of the fence a fantastic American dogma places them. If we see a Negro with evidence of white train, we’ll say unhesitatingly that he is mixed… when I see a white person with evidence of what my eyes tell me, after fifty years of experience, is a Negro strain, I attribute the same to that person no matter in what society or in what part of the world he is.” (Pg. 14)
He adds, “Certainly there are living people who ought to be included and are not, but had I named 10,000 instead of 200, the favorites of some would still have been omitted… The selection was my own and I do not claim to be an authority on what are great and who are not… Variety of occupation also had to be considered to avoid monotony… I had also to be on guard for overstatement not only by Negro writers, but also by noted white ones… In conclusion, let me say that my intention was not to write highly critical … or even literary essays, but rather principally success stories, chiefly for Negro youth. I hope white youth will find some inspiration in them too.” (Pg. 23-24)
In an introductory section, John Henrik Clarke recounts, “The nation that is now called Ethiopia came back upon the center stage of history about 96 B.C. It was then represented by a queen who in some books is referred to as Makeda, and in others as Belkis. She is better known to the world as the Queen of Sheba… The history of the Queen of the South, who undertook a long and arduous journey to Jerusalem, in order to learn of the wisdom of King Solomon, is deeply cherished in Ethiopia… for she is claimed as an Ethiopian Queen… There is much information on the Ethiopian origin of the Queen of Sheba, yet she remains one of the intriguing mysteries of history.” (Pg. 33-34)
Of Akhenaton, Rogers wrote, “Lord Supreme of the then civilized world, with the mightiest army at his command, he preached the gospel of peace and preached it so consistently that when subject nations rebelled he refused to attack them… His skull, which has been preserved, is what some scientists call that of a typical Negro. The jaw is extremely prognathous. His lips, seen in profile, are so thick that they seem swollen. His father Amenophis was Negroid, and his mother Tiji a full-blooded African. That his wife Nefertiti was a Negro cannot be denied.” (Pg. 57, 63)
Of Aesop (collector of the Fables), he notes, “According to some writers, he is supposed to have been Lokman, another Negro slave, who was the wisest man of the East… According to Planudes the Great, a monk of the fourteenth century … he was a native of Phrygia… and a Negro slave, ‘flat-nosed… with lips, thick and pendulous and a black skin from which he contracted his name…” (Pg. 73)
Of Makeda (the Queen of Sheba), he recounts, “Out of the mists of three thousand years emerges this beautiful love story of a black queen, who, attracted by the tame of a Judean monarch, made a long journey to see him with a gorgeous escort and the richest gift on record… The dark olive-colored king and the beautiful black queen had fallen in love with each other at first sight..” (Pg. 81, 83)
Of Hannibal of Carthage, he explains, “Hannibal has the reputation of being the greatest military leader and strategist of all time. Napoleon… ranked him as the first in daring… Hannibal was bornin 247 B.C., when Carthage, then the greatest maritime power, was beginning to decline. The Carthaginians were the descendants of the Phoenicians, a Negroid people, who were great merchants.” (Pg. 98) He adds later, “There are no less than eight supposed portraits of Hannibal, none of which resemble another.” (Pg. 107)
Of Cleopatra, he notes, “Cleopatra, Queen of Egypt, has come down to us through twenty centuries as the perfect example of the seductive art in woman. With her beauty, learning, and culture she fascinated and held two successive masters of the world.” (Pg. 121) Later, he adds, “Until the rise of the doctrine of white supremacy Cleopatra was generally pictured as colored. Shakespeare … calls her ‘tawny.’” (Pg. 129)
He says of Cetewayo, “Cetewayo, King of the Zulus, was the hero of the greatest little war that England ever had. Armed only with spears and knives, his men inflicted on the British the most crushing defeat that England experienced at the hands of any portion of a dark race in modern times.” (Pg. 287)
Of Haile Selassie I, he records, “Haile Selassie I, King of Kings of Ethiopia, last of the independent sovereigns of Africa.” (Pg. 419) He adds, “Born to autocratic power, Haile Selassie voluntarily relinquished it and endeavored to make Ethiopia a democracy.” (Pg. 429)
This book (and Volume II) will be “must reading” for anyone studying Africana history.
Joel Augustus Rogers (1880-1966) was a Jamaican-American author, journalist, and historian. He wrote in the introductory chapter of this 1946 book, “As I grew older I revolted more and more at [the] asininity concocted by ‘the master race’ but I had no books at hand to contradict it, nor knowledge of any kind. To make matters worse I had from a Negro friend of mine a book in which this alleged inherent inferiority [of blacks] was stressed… I began to search for some world figures that were of Negro ancestry. However, there was not a single one to be found, so carefully had they been expurgated by the masters… it was not until years later that I found in Chicago a friend who introduced me to books in which I found the names of several great men of Negro ancestry, past and present. In my spare time, and with no thought of writing a book, I began to collect some of their names. That was about 1911.” (Pg. 4-5)
He continues, “I noticed that books alleging inherent Negro inferiority continued to appear… All of these, I felt, should be answered not with sentiment… but with facts… I decided also that those who were really interested in righting the Negro’s wrongs in a concrete way ought to welcome any knowledge that would equip them with the means of refutation of Negro inferiority… I also made what was to me an important discovery, namely, that the recital of the deeds of the great or the worthy, was instinctive in humanity. I found that all peoples---English, French, Germans, Spaniards, Italians, Americans, Chinese, Jews, Moslems---had lists of their great and noted men… To bring out the best in ourselves … a study of the live of the great of all races, ages, and climes is a necessity.” (Pg. 6-7)
He explains, “This brings me to what is usually meant by ‘Negro’ ancestry. What most scientists and sociologists call a ‘Negro’… is a highly specialized and very primitive type that has been isolated in Central Africa or New Guinea for thousands of years… When, however, it is a question of what is not very creditable, the Negro variety is made to include hundreds of millions of individuals, some of whom are more Nordic in color and features than many whites… As to who is a Negro in the United States, I have come to the conclusion after long and careful thought that to be an expert on that subject the first qualification is to be crazy.” (Pg. 11-12)
He concludes, “My contention is that those who look white are white, and those who look mixed, are mixed, no matter what side of the fence a fantastic American dogma places them. If we see a Negro with evidence of white train, we’ll say unhesitatingly that he is mixed… when I see a white person with evidence of what my eyes tell me, after fifty years of experience, is a Negro strain, I attribute the same to that person no matter in what society or in what part of the world he is.” (Pg. 14)
He adds, “Certainly there are living people who ought to be included and are not, but had I named 10,000 instead of 200, the favorites of some would still have been omitted… The selection was my own and I do not claim to be an authority on what are great and who are not… Variety of occupation also had to be considered to avoid monotony… I had also to be on guard for overstatement not only by Negro writers, but also by noted white ones… In conclusion, let me say that my intention was not to write highly critical … or even literary essays, but rather principally success stories, chiefly for Negro youth. I hope white youth will find some inspiration in them too.” (Pg. 23-24)
In an introductory section, John Henrik Clarke recounts, “The nation that is now called Ethiopia came back upon the center stage of history about 96 B.C. It was then represented by a queen who in some books is referred to as Makeda, and in others as Belkis. She is better known to the world as the Queen of Sheba… The history of the Queen of the South, who undertook a long and arduous journey to Jerusalem, in order to learn of the wisdom of King Solomon, is deeply cherished in Ethiopia… for she is claimed as an Ethiopian Queen… There is much information on the Ethiopian origin of the Queen of Sheba, yet she remains one of the intriguing mysteries of history.” (Pg. 33-34)
Of Akhenaton, Rogers wrote, “Lord Supreme of the then civilized world, with the mightiest army at his command, he preached the gospel of peace and preached it so consistently that when subject nations rebelled he refused to attack them… His skull, which has been preserved, is what some scientists call that of a typical Negro. The jaw is extremely prognathous. His lips, seen in profile, are so thick that they seem swollen. His father Amenophis was Negroid, and his mother Tiji a full-blooded African. That his wife Nefertiti was a Negro cannot be denied.” (Pg. 57, 63)
Of Aesop (collector of the Fables), he notes, “According to some writers, he is supposed to have been Lokman, another Negro slave, who was the wisest man of the East… According to Planudes the Great, a monk of the fourteenth century … he was a native of Phrygia… and a Negro slave, ‘flat-nosed… with lips, thick and pendulous and a black skin from which he contracted his name…” (Pg. 73)
Of Makeda (the Queen of Sheba), he recounts, “Out of the mists of three thousand years emerges this beautiful love story of a black queen, who, attracted by the tame of a Judean monarch, made a long journey to see him with a gorgeous escort and the richest gift on record… The dark olive-colored king and the beautiful black queen had fallen in love with each other at first sight..” (Pg. 81, 83)
Of Hannibal of Carthage, he explains, “Hannibal has the reputation of being the greatest military leader and strategist of all time. Napoleon… ranked him as the first in daring… Hannibal was bornin 247 B.C., when Carthage, then the greatest maritime power, was beginning to decline. The Carthaginians were the descendants of the Phoenicians, a Negroid people, who were great merchants.” (Pg. 98) He adds later, “There are no less than eight supposed portraits of Hannibal, none of which resemble another.” (Pg. 107)
Of Cleopatra, he notes, “Cleopatra, Queen of Egypt, has come down to us through twenty centuries as the perfect example of the seductive art in woman. With her beauty, learning, and culture she fascinated and held two successive masters of the world.” (Pg. 121) Later, he adds, “Until the rise of the doctrine of white supremacy Cleopatra was generally pictured as colored. Shakespeare … calls her ‘tawny.’” (Pg. 129)
He says of Cetewayo, “Cetewayo, King of the Zulus, was the hero of the greatest little war that England ever had. Armed only with spears and knives, his men inflicted on the British the most crushing defeat that England experienced at the hands of any portion of a dark race in modern times.” (Pg. 287)
Of Haile Selassie I, he records, “Haile Selassie I, King of Kings of Ethiopia, last of the independent sovereigns of Africa.” (Pg. 419) He adds, “Born to autocratic power, Haile Selassie voluntarily relinquished it and endeavored to make Ethiopia a democracy.” (Pg. 429)
This book (and Volume II) will be “must reading” for anyone studying Africana history.
Want to read
March 25, 2017Joel Augustus Rogers J.A. Rogers was a Jamaican-born author, journalist, historian, race-theorist, and Harlem Renaissance participant whose writings I discovered at the newly opened National Museum of African American History and Culture . This is volume 1 of a three volume set and I just started it but I am already enjoying it. He brings in anthropology, history, literature, philosophy, and politics to make his point about our concepts of race. Much has been written about the man and his brilliant writings. See for example:
Henry Louis Gates, Jr article
More to follow...
Henry Louis Gates, Jr article
More to follow...
December 2, 2018
The 1st of three volumes. . . an encyclopedic set from an original perspective. Rogers' books on this aspect should not prevent people from claiming a phenotype, 'race' or ethnicity. This seems natural. The major problem is how Europeans, in particular, have used it.
It is also evident, however, that the Europeans and Asians emanate from and contain 'mixtures' of darker-skinned peoples (i.e., Africans). One should not view this book and the others in the set as promoting miscegenation, or less diversity, but merely an acknowledgement of its occurrence on a global scale . . . partly due to humans seeming natural propensity to travel and to propagate the human race (i.e., via sex with other humans) but more so largely due to the raping of the conquered by the dominant conqueror.
It is also evident, however, that the Europeans and Asians emanate from and contain 'mixtures' of darker-skinned peoples (i.e., Africans). One should not view this book and the others in the set as promoting miscegenation, or less diversity, but merely an acknowledgement of its occurrence on a global scale . . . partly due to humans seeming natural propensity to travel and to propagate the human race (i.e., via sex with other humans) but more so largely due to the raping of the conquered by the dominant conqueror.
March 21, 2016
Page 144 is in French....
June 10, 2022
Regarding Sex and Race
A detailed and clearly present history the Negro people, their background, and their many areas of accomplishment. It certainly defies any and all attempts, past and present, to write the Negro out of world history, to deny his successive accomplishments and contributions to the advancement of human civilization.
A detailed and clearly present history the Negro people, their background, and their many areas of accomplishment. It certainly defies any and all attempts, past and present, to write the Negro out of world history, to deny his successive accomplishments and contributions to the advancement of human civilization.
May 23, 2019
Can a history book be a bad read? Especially coming at it from the angle of sex and race?!?!!
Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews