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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Page 5
... smoker, a book—Finot's "Race Prejudice"—under his arm. Settling himself in a corner of the long leather couch, he opened the book in search of the place he had been reading last. It was where the author spoke of the Germans and their ...
... smoker, a book—Finot's "Race Prejudice"—under his arm. Settling himself in a corner of the long leather couch, he opened the book in search of the place he had been reading last. It was where the author spoke of the Germans and their ...
Page 8
... smoker to read his book. But too tired to concentrate his thoughts on the scientific matter, he closed the volume, placed it behind him in the hollow formed by his back and the angle of the seat and began to reflect on the last passage ...
... smoker to read his book. But too tired to concentrate his thoughts on the scientific matter, he closed the volume, placed it behind him in the hollow formed by his back and the angle of the seat and began to reflect on the last passage ...
Page 9
... 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 civilization. He is a caricature ...
... 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 civilization. He is a caricature ...
Page 10
... smoker had met Dixon in the aisle. With a laugh and a few terrible but good-natured oaths, he had said “That fellow is obsessed by the race problem. ... I met him yesterday at the hotel, and he has talked of hardly anything else since ...
... smoker had met Dixon in the aisle. With a laugh and a few terrible but good-natured oaths, he had said “That fellow is obsessed by the race problem. ... I met him yesterday at the hotel, and he has talked of hardly anything else since ...
Page 25
... smoker, then sat down again. After a few moments he insisted: "But the Negro, himself, acknowledges his racial inferiority. Just look how he bleaches his skin, straightens his hair, and uses other devices to appear like the white man ...
... smoker, then sat down again. After a few moments he insisted: "But the Negro, himself, acknowledges his racial inferiority. Just look how he bleaches his skin, straightens his hair, and uses other devices to appear like the white man ...
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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