Race, Racism, and Darwinism

Abstract

This article examines the views of Darwinist evolution on issues regarding race and how this contributed to the spread of racism in the United States. The writings of Charles Darwin and a myriad of his followers are examined, including Herbert Spencer, Francis Galton, and others. The influence of Darwinism in contributing to the growth of institutional racism and the teaching of scientifically based racist thought is addressed. The article also examines how Darwinist evolutionary thought affected the nation’s beliefs about those with special needs and how this contributed to people’s perceptions about people of color. The author asserts that the blatant inaccuracies of Darwinist evolution regarding race raise questions about the theory’s overall veracity and how teachers should approach instruction regarding Darwin’s theory.