_The Negro._ By W. E. B. DuBois. New York: Henry Holt and Co. 1915. Pp.
254. 50 cents.
In this small volume Dr. DuBois presents facts to show that, contrary to
general belief, the Negro has developed and contributed to civilization the
same as all other groups of the human race. The usual arguments that the
backward state of Negro culture is due to the biological inferiority of the
race he shows to be without foundation, since these arguments have been
largely abandoned by creditable scholars. Much of the material in the book
has been known for several years to readers of works of scholars on race
questions. As is commonly the case, truths which tend to destroy
deep-rooted prejudices reach general readers with considerable slowness.
While it is not possible to treat but briefly a large subject in such small
compass, the facts set forth by the author will put many persons on their
guard against individuals who continue to spread misinformation about the
Negro race.
The book is divided into twelve chapters, contains a helpful index, has a
topically arranged list of books suggested for further reading, and an
index. All of the chapters make interesting reading; but those treating of
the achievements in state building and general culture of the ancient
African Negro are especially stimulating. The author points out that in
Egypt, both as mixed Semitic-Negroids and pure blacks from Ethiopia, Negro
blood shared in producing the civilization of Egypt. Another center of
Negro civilization was the Soudan. There strong Negro empires like Songhay
and Melle developed under Mohammedan influence and existed for many
centuries. In West Africa there was a flourishing group of Negro city
states, the most famous of these being the Yoruban group. Recent
discoveries of Frobenius in these parts of the continent show that the
people reached a high stage of development in the terra cotta, bronze,
glass, weaving, and iron industry. In the regions about the Great Lakes,
inhabited largely by the Bantu, are found many worked over gold and silver
mines, old irrigation systems, remains of hundreds of groups of stone
buildings and fortifications. The author explains that the decline of this
ancient culture was due to internal wars, Mohammedan conquest, and
especially the ravages of the slave trade. The fact of the existence of
such culture in the past stands as evidence of the capacity of the race to
achieve.
It is worth noting what the author thinks about "the future relation of the
Negro race to the rest of the world." He states that the "clear modern
philosophy ... assigns to the white race alone the hegemony of the world
and assumes that other races, and particularly the Negro race, will either
be content to serve the interests of the whites or die out before their
all-conquering march." Of the several plans of solutions of the Negro
problems since the emancipation from chattel slavery he tells us that
practically all have been directed by the motive of economic exploitation
for the benefit of white Europe. Because all dark races, and the white
workmen too, are included in this capitalistic program of economic
exploitation, he believes there is coming "a unity of the working classes
everywhere," which will apparently know no race line. But the colored
peoples are more largely the victims of this economic exploitation. In
answer to it the author concludes: "There is slowly arising not only a
strong brotherhood of Negro blood throughout the world, but the common
cause of the darker races against the intolerable assumptions and insults
of Europeans has already found expression." He expresses the hope that
"this colored world may come into its heritage, ... the earth," may not
"again be drenched in the blood of fighting, snarling human beasts," but
that "Reason and Good will prevail."