Du Bois’s “Conservation Of Races”: The Concept Of Race And Basis Of Racial Development

With the diversity in the United States comes different identities and cultures which have caused the various groups to clash over the course of American. In “The Conservation of Races” Du Bois argues the importance of distinguishing the difference between the different races and the consequences if reject the distinctions. He then goes on to a series of inquiries and discussion about of race. In this paper, I will first summarize W.E.B. Du Bois’s “Conservation of Races”. I will then provide an analysis favoring of his arguments by looking at his definition of race and his basis of racial development.

In “The Conservation of Races,” inquiries on what race is and what it means to American Society. First, he criticizes the notion of biological distinctions between people to divide certain people into racial factions. Du Bois is very dubious on that view because he finds that all human beings have similar characteristics and nothing physically defines the distinctions that cluster people together into groups. Du Bois instead argues that history has caused the idea of race to be a socialized phenomenon where people are with others who share ideologies, cultures, common, and traditions which collectively form racial groups. Therefore, invalidating the biological definition by considering race in those terms instead of the blood or physical distinctions. Given the commonalities which shape these racial groups, Du Bois proclaims that we must preserve these groups for the greater good of American society. Seeking the answer to the “Negro problem” he argues that world history relies on particular races and “he who ignores or seeks to override the race idea in human history ignores and overrides the central thought of all history.”

Expanding off that point he brings up the successes of the Pharaohs, Caesars, and Napoleons and recognizes the array of races represented in history. Undermining the myopic views of history, Dubois goes on to argue that African Americans have the potential to be successful but in order for that to happen, they must first boost their own culture. In a rallying cry, he wants African Americans to create their own identity and culture in order to make their own contributions to the world. From that African Americans are able to “conserve our physical powers, our intellectual endowments, our spiritual ideals” in order to stay organized, stay in solidarity with other, and stay united. However, he recognizes that the process of self-reformation will take time and but African Americans will be able to have a narrative in American History.

The summary above indicates the position that Dubois holds on race and I accept the points that he makes. For example, when you look at a group a black people they might all share common physical features but in actuality, they come from different races. For example, one of them might be African American, the other might be African, and the other might be Caribbean. We host a lot of similarities but at the same time our culture, ideology, and beliefs stray different from one another. Food, views, and home-life are often shared between me and my friends who are African and I can attest that the African American experience is different from the African experience. While today, we could see how we can encompass all black groups to this piece, Dubois then was specifically talking about African Americans. Being African American is more than just skin color. It's a community that shares a common past experience, not a very happy one: forced migration, slavery, segregation, civil rights abuses. Many Africans do not share that same knowledge of racism and thus come here without knowing the setbacks of other people of color and thus separating themselves from others because of their ideology. Even from afar or on a government document all blacks would be categorized in the same race. I also agree with his definition that race is more than biology and instead of a combination of social entities such as upbringings, cultures, and beliefs. Especially when you consider the science that was available during the time this piece was written (18th Century).

Science at the time was dominated by whites who’s “scientific research” would develop theories of white superiority. Like Dubois, I would question this and the idea that blacks somehow have a genetic makeup which makes them inferior and thus making science unbelievable. Using his views on the racial development of African Americans, I believe that the only way to advance is to teach African Americans and further them. I agree knowledge (even education) is important when seeking to increase the social mobility among an oppressed group. Dubious is proven to be right because knowledge in itself has allowed African Americans to be self-reliant and not have well-organized historically black colleges, newspapers, businesses, and intellectual clearinghouses. Subsequently, having an impact on African Americans and America then and still bringing unity to many people of color today.

At the same time, knowledge can only do so much because racism will never be eradicated. The only way we can completely end racism is to get is the get rid of racial classifications. But at this point, it has been enshrined into American culture that I doubt we can magically clear racial ideas out of the minds of citizens. Even I do not believe I can get rid of the racial components that often go through my mind. Maybe one day we find an America where race is not defined and people are on the same playing field but I do not think this will happen in my lifetime. By looking at his definition of race and his basis of racial development I have argued that his conclusions on race and how to improve the lives of African Americans are valid. Americans often like to judge a book by its cover and solely classify people based on the color of their skin.