Origins of Race

Races's Skulls

Race was created by scientists arguing a polygenetic theory. According to the American Anthropological Association (2007), polygenism theorizes that different races are different species with separate origins. In the 1820's and 1830's a physician, Samuel G. Morton, argued that there were different races and attempted to prove this by taking hundreds of skulls and measuring their brain capacity. He believed any skull's race could be identified simply by measuring it's size. It can be seen in the figure Race's Skulls how Morton organized his findings. He asserted that Europeans had the HIGHEST cranial capacity, specifically English being the highest, and that Africans had the LOWEST. These assertions have survived because there is a notion of white supremacy throughout the world.   

                                                                                                                       

What is RACE?

The Merriam-Webster dictionary (2013), defines race in a number of ways.
1. The act of running
2. A strong or rapid current of water flowing through a narrow channel
3. A contest or rivalry involving progress toward a goal
3. A breeding stock of animals
4. A category of humankind that shares certain distinctive physical traits.

The definition that we are most familiar with is at the very BOTTOM of the list. Why do we, as society, put so much EMPHASIS on race?

Biology of Race

Biological race is a view supported by Judge Tucker that states "there exist natural, physical divisions among humans that are hereditary, reflected in morphology, and roughly but correctly captured by terms like Black, White, and Asian (or Negroid, Caucasoid, and Mongoloid)" (Lopez, I. 2013). Despite the belief in biological races, there is overwhelming evidence that proves race is not biological. "There is no link between FACES and RACES" (Lopez, I. 2013). No one race contains genetic characteristics that another race does not have. There is actually more genetic variation between people of the same race. Overall, humans are genetically 99.9% the same with the 0.01% difference being our outer appearance. Our hair color, skin color, eye color, shape of eyes, thickness of lips. Some how that 0.01% difference creates a wedge between fellow human beings even though we all belong to the same race.

Why do we have different SKIN COLOR?

Anthropologist Nina Jablonski, Ph.D. theorizes in a film by TED (2009), that variations in human skin are adaptive traits that correlate closely to geography and the sun's ultraviolet radiation, not race.

"Over the course of evolution, human ancestors became bigger and more active as they moved into hot, open environments in search of food and water. In these places, one big challenge was keeping cool. The adaption they made was to increase the number of sweat glands on their skin while at the same time reducing the amount of their body hair. With less hair, perspiration could evaporate more easily and cool the body more efficiently. But this less-hairy skin was a problem because it was exposed to a very strong sun, especially damages the body. The solution was to evolve skin that was permanently dark so as to protect against the sun's more damaging rays." explains Dr. Jablonski

"As some groups moved into regions farther from the equator where UVR (Ultra Violet Radiation) levels are lower, natural selection favored lighter skin, which allowed enough vitamin D-forming UVR to penetrate their skin." Jablonski continues.

It can be seen in the image Holding Hands, the variations of skin color within the human race.

Holding Hands

Facts about Race/Color Discrimination

Even though race and color clearly overlap, they are NOT synonymous. This color discrimination can occur between persons of different races or ethnicities, or between persons of the same race and ethnicity. Although Title VII of the Civil Right Act of 1963 does not define "color," the courts and the commission read "color" to have its commonly understood meaning- pigmentation, complexion, or skin shade or tone. Thus, color discrimination occurs when a person is discriminated against based on the lightness, darkness, or other color characteristic of the person. Title VII prohibits race/ color discrimination against all persons, including Caucasians. (U.S Equal Employment Opportunity Commission).

1) Title VII of the Civil Right Act of 1963 protects individuals against employment discrimination on the basis of race and color as well as national origin, sec, or religion.

2) Title VII also prohibits employment decisions based on stereotypes and assumptions about abilities, traits, or the performance of individuals of certain racial groups.

3)Title VII prohibits both intentional discrimination and neutral job policies that disproportionately exclude minorities and that are not job related.

4)Equal employment opportunity cannot be denied because of marriage to or association with an individual of a different race.

Impacts

You may think that race does not impact you, but according to Prof. Chermak (2013) whether you are aware of it or not, certain races receive benefits.

• Whites are LESS likely to be pulled over by the police and receive a ticket or have their car searched.  
• Whites are LESS likely to receive the death penalty, but if it is a white victim and a black suspect, it is 21 more times likely that the death penalty will be issued. 
• Whites are MORE likely to be in the news if they are the victim of a crime. 
• Blacks are over represented in crime alerts and are perceived as CRIMINALS. 
• Blacks are incarcerated at nearly 6 times the rate of whites. (NAACP 2013).

Race Prevails

Race and racism continues to exist because it is not only about categorizing humans by physical traits, but also about a race to POWER. In America, race benefits whites allowing them to be rich and powerful at the top of a created caste system. Whites are prejudice to defend their privilege of position and thus "stand to gain emotionally, culturally, socially and economically from an attitude of prejudice towards others" (Rosado, C. 2012). As long as there are benefits from INEQUALITIES between races, this system will continue to exist. For now there is white supremacy, but just as history shows with the rise and downfall of the ancient black Egyptians, the first civilization, white reign will fall and there will be a new dominant race in due time because RACES are in a constant competition for power.

Where We Stand

We believe in world equality, and we disagree with RACE. People should not be separated into groups based on their appearances because the differences between us are only SKIN DEEP. Alan Goodman, a biological anthropologist said, "all skin colors, whether LIGHT or DARK, are not due to race but to ADAPTATION for life under the sun (California Newsreel, 2003).  We all come from one common ancestor that originated in Africa and had black skin. Without the dark skin pigmentation the human race would not have survived from the sun's ultraviolet rays. Over time, our skin pigments changed due to the migration into different climates and environments. Different races do not have different origins. We are all connected which can be proved by shared mitochondrial DNA. Scientific evidence supports that race is not a difference in biology, but a socially constructed idea. In reality, there is only one race; the HUMAN RACE.

Society -ism Umbrella

Society-isms

Racism is only a small part of the many problems society faces as seen under the umbrella in the figure Society-isms. Racism exists throughout the world, and different organizations have been working toward equality. However, Quinnell (2013) reminds us that we should not forget the importance of the other "-ism". 

Heterosexium- a system of attitudes, bias, and discrimination in favor of opposite-sex sexuality and relationships.

Racism- a classification system used to categorize humans into large and distinct populations or groups by anatomical, cultural, ethnic, genetic, geographical , historical, linguistic, religious, or social affiliation.

Classism- prejudice or discrimination on the basis of social class.

Sexism- prejudice or discrimination based on a person's sex.

Ageism- stereotyping and discrimination against individuals or groups on the basis of their age.

References

American Anthropological Association. (2007). One Race or Several Species. Retrieved from
www.understandingrace.org

American Anthropological Association. (2011). Only Skin Deep. Retrieved from
www.understandingrace.org

American Anthropological Association (2007).  Race's Skull. [Cartoon]. Retrieved from www.understandingrace.org

California Newsreel. (2003). Background Readings. Race- The Power of an Illusion. Retrieved from www.pbs.org/race/

Chermak, S. (2013). Media in Society. Society and the Individual. Michigan State University, East Lansing.

Cooper, M. (2010). Holding Hands. [Photograph]. Minnesota State University Campus Newsletter. Retrieved from www.mnsu.edu/media/newsletter/

Lopez, I. (1994). The Social Construction of Race: Some Observatoins on Illusions, Fabrication, and Choice. What is Race? Retrieved from www.academic.udayton.edu/race/01race/race.htm

Merriam-Webster. (2013). Race-Definition. Retrieved from www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary.

National Association for the Advancement of Colored People. (2013). Criminal Justice Fact Sheet. Retrieved from www.naacp.org/pages/criminal-justice-fact-sheet

Quinnell, K. (2013). Society-isms. [Cartoon]. Retrieved from www.crooksandliars.com

Quinnell, K. (2013) Your Handy Guide To -Isms. Retrieved from www.crooksandliars.com

Rosado, C. (2012). The Undergirding Factor is Power: Toward an Understanding of Prejudice and Racism. Retrieved from www.edchange.org

TED. (2009). "The Illusion of Skin Color" [Youtube]. Project: Report.

U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission. Facts about Race/ Color Discrimination. Retrieved from www.eeoc.gov/eeoc/publications/fs-race.cfm