A Rumor About One Race

It’s a funny thing, how some things you hear stay with you in that sixth sense sort of way, as if the information will serve some future purpose.

True Story. I was in elementary school when a teacher got to talking about three true races—Caucasian, Mongoloid, and Negroid, and how one day there would be One Race. For a placeholder I attended Philadelphia (PA) Public Schools, K-straight thru-12 (99.98% black student population) where there was always ‘that’ teacher who would put aside a textbook to impart ‘move to the edge of your seat’ information... something I later figured out would take “dynamic positioning” to find its originating source. I even think the teacher may have said we wouldn’t find this information written anywhere.

At any rate, I’m all kinds of fuzzy about how the original three races came to be, but recall 3rd grade hands going up in the air asking why this and how that and what about this, and then somebody saying, “unt un... my mother said...”

Naturally I was intrigued, like I am when I hear anything new. According to the teacher, this wasn’t about ‘so-called interracial blending’, something that has been a present since the beginning of times, but rather how bitter cold, extreme heat, the sun, geographical location, food source (as in what naturally grows in the area) influences genetics, or how people look; from height, size, shape, even eye shapes, hair textures and of course complexion. In ancient eras, prior to migration, the three groups (or races) were (for lack of the actual word probably used) pure. ‘Over time, and not necessarily in our time,’ so concluded the teacher, ‘people who remain in one geographical location, will eventually all look alike.’ And oh, btw, the original Negroid species were said to have the most powerful genetics.

This may not be news today, but way back when it was a lot to wrap my head around. Hearing information like this was a large contributing factor that fueled my early reading. Even today, I’m always looking for books containing enlightening perspectives that engage me... which speaking of, I just finished reading Gabrielle Union’s memoir, ‘We’re Going to Need More Wine.’ (My thoughts here.)

#JustBlogged #ReadAnotherGreatMemoir #BlackHistoryMonth #DontEverGiveUp #Amwriting