Race, Social Science and the Crisis of Manhood, 1890-1970

Book excerpt: Black Social Science and the Crisis of Manhood, 1890-1970 describes the young black male crisis, why we are largely unfamiliar with the story of the black superman, and why this matters to contemporary debates. It does so by returning to the work of those original black social scientists to explore the ways in which they understood the challenges of black manhood, offered substantive critiques of the nation’s race, class, and gender systems, and worked to construct a progression. The careful study of their work reveals the centrality of gender to discussions of race and class, and also new possibilities for understanding and discussing black men. This book offers a look at pioneering black social scientists as well as a history of the changing perceptions, ideals, and shifting depictions of black and white manhood over nearly a century.