The Negro
Public-domain ebook
The Negro
Language: en1,721 downloads on Project Gutenberg
Subjects
In: African American Writers·History - Other·History - Ancient
Public-domain ebook sourced from Project Gutenberg #15359.
About this book
The work is a sweeping survey of African peoples and their global connections, written by the scholar‑activist W. E. B. Du Bois in early 1915. It opens with a candid preface that acknowledges the fragmentary state of archaeological knowledge and the lingering racial bias that hampers objective study. From there Du Bois launches into a geographic and cultural overview, beginning with a poetic description of Africa as the “Sphinx” and moving through its physical contours, major rivers, and varied climates. He then turns to the anthropology of the “Negro” race, challenging contemporary typologies and arguing that skin colour, hair texture, and facial features are products of climate rather than markers of inherent hierarchy. The introduction sets the stage for a series of chapters that trace African history from ancient Egypt to the modern diaspora, interweaving geography, archaeology, and social commentary.
Du Bois writes in a measured, erudite prose that blends scientific observation with moral argument, reflecting the early‑20th‑century intellectual climate of progressive scholarship. His voice is authoritative yet accessible, aiming to correct misconceptions while appealing to readers interested in history, anthropology, and the politics of race. Those who appreciate rigorous yet passionate analysis of Africa’s past, and who are curious about the foundations of modern racial discourse, will find this book a compelling, if occasionally dated, contribution to the field.
The opening · free to read
Hyphenation and accentuation are inconsistent, but are generally left as found in the edition used for transcription. This edition may or may not have completely replicated the 1915 edition of the book. Where changes have been made, they are noted below. If you are using this book for research, please verify any spelling or punctuation with another source.
A missing quotation mark was inserted at the beginning of this paragraph: "It is difficult to imagine that Egypt should have obtained it from Europe where the oldest find (in Hallstadt) cannot be of an earlier period than 800 B.C., or from Asia, where iron is not known before 1000 B.C., and where, in the times of Ashur Nazir Pal, it was still used concurrently with bronze, while iron beads have been only recently discovered by Messrs. G.A. Wainwright and Bushe Fox in a predynastic grave, and where a piece of this metal, possibly a tool, was found in the masonry of the great pyramid."]
The book keeps going
Keep reading, and see it illustrated
Reading is free forever. Sign up and watch scenes appear while you read.
Scenes Storieta drew for other classics.
