From "Superman" to Man: A Fearless and Penetrating Discussion of America's Greatest ProblemThe first book from “a tireless champion of African history,” a novel that “challenged the theories that Blacks were inferior to whites” (New York Amsterdam News). Joel Augustus Roger’s seminal work from the Harlem Renaissance, this novel—first published in 1917—is a polemic against the ignorance that fuels racism. The central plot revolves around a train speeding to California, serviced by an African American porter named Dixon. On board is a United States senator from Oklahoma, a man obsessed by race who makes no attempts to hide his prejudice. Unable to sleep, the politician encounters Dixon in the smoking car, and thus ensues a debate about religion, science, and racial equality . . . “A bold discussion novel in which a cultured, well-travelled, black Pullman porter is drawn into a debate with a white passenger, a Southern senator, on the question of the superiority of the Anglo Saxon and the inferiority of the Negro.” —The Guardian “A genuine treasure. I still insist that From ‘Superman’ to Man is the greatest book ever written in English on the Negro by a Negro and I am glad to know that increasing thousands of black and white readers re-echo the high opinion of it which I had expressed some years ago.” —Hubert Henry Harrison “A stirring story, faithful to truth and helpful to a better understanding and feeling.” —Prof. George B. Foster, University of Chicago |
From inside the book
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... question as the relative mentality, physical and facial beauty, sex instinct, chastity, odor, truthfulness, health, honesty, of Negro and Caucasian; as well as politics, the slavery of white people in Colonial America and elsewhere ...
... question as the relative mentality, physical and facial beauty, sex instinct, chastity, odor, truthfulness, health, honesty, of Negro and Caucasian; as well as politics, the slavery of white people in Colonial America and elsewhere ...
Page 9
... question with another in the smoker. Dixon had heard him say, vehemently. “The 'nigger' is a menace to our civilization and should be kept down. I am opposed to educating him, for the educated 'nigger' is a misfit in the white man's ...
... question with another in the smoker. Dixon had heard him say, vehemently. “The 'nigger' is a menace to our civilization and should be kept down. I am opposed to educating him, for the educated 'nigger' is a misfit in the white man's ...
Page 13
... question. Then there occurred to him a way by which he could retain his own opinion and yet be in apparent accord with the passenger. He responded: “No, sir, I do not believe in the equality of the races. As you say, it is impossible ...
... question. Then there occurred to him a way by which he could retain his own opinion and yet be in apparent accord with the passenger. He responded: “No, sir, I do not believe in the equality of the races. As you say, it is impossible ...
Page 14
... question, he stopped to ponder the situation in which his unwitting question had placed him. As he had confessed, he did not like educated Negroes, and had no intention of engaging in a controversy with one. His respect and his aversion ...
... question, he stopped to ponder the situation in which his unwitting question had placed him. As he had confessed, he did not like educated Negroes, and had no intention of engaging in a controversy with one. His respect and his aversion ...
Page 15
... question in the United States. He said with soft courtesy: “I have found, sir, that any division of humanity according to physique, can have but a merely nominal value, as differences in physiques are caused by climatic conditions and ...
... question in the United States. He said with soft courtesy: “I have found, sir, that any division of humanity according to physique, can have but a merely nominal value, as differences in physiques are caused by climatic conditions and ...
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Common terms and phrases
according added Africa American Anglo-Saxon appear asked beauty becomes began believe better blood Caucasian cause centuries certain Christianity citizens civilization color considered continued cultured difference Dixon equal Europe European exist fact feel forced give greater hair hand human hundred ignorant Indian inferiority instance Italy Jews kind laws less live look majority man's manner matter mean mind morality nature Negro never nigger North Northern objected opinion party passenger permitted persons porter prove question race racial reason regard remark replied replied Dixon respect returned seen senator similar skin slavery slaves so-called social South Southern speak spirit superior tell thing thought thousand tion took train true truth United Universal white women woman