Human Development in Africa

All humans emerged in Africa about 150,000 to 200,000 years ago. Humans began migrating out of Africa about 70,000 years ago. As humans spread across the globe, populations bumped into one another and mixed their genes. Skin color, hair texture, and blood type are influenced by separate genes and inherited independently of one another. Remarkably, 85% of all genetic variants can be found within any local population (Smith, 2018).

Development of Human Potential in Africa

Visual characteristics, like different skin colors, appear to have evolved recently after humans left Africa. Traits such as intelligence, musical ability, and physicality are much older and more common across all populations. Today, the net worth of the average Black family is about 1/8 of the average white family (Jones, 2021). Houses in predominantly white areas sell for much more than those in Black, Hispanic, or integrated neighborhoods. Thus, power, wealth, and the associated advantages or disadvantages are passed down from generation to generation.

The Influence of Wealth on Opportunity

Wealth isn't merely a product of being self-made; it serves as the starting point for the next generation. When the "family wealth gap" between African Americans and whites is considered, disparities in test scores, graduation rates, and welfare usage vanish (Johnson, 2019). It is the lack of opportunities, rather than racial differences, that is responsible for continuing inequality. Historically, Italians, Hebrews, and Greeks were considered by many to be separate races, and it was said their "whiteness" had to be won. The 1790 Naturalization Act limited naturalized citizenship to "free, white persons." New arrivals petitioned the courts to be legally designated white to gain citizenship (Doe, 2020).

Legal Definitions of Race

In 1922, Takao Ozawa, a Japanese immigrant, appealed the rejection of his citizenship application. He argued that his skin was physically white and that race shouldn't matter for citizenship. The Supreme Court decided that the Japanese were not legally white based on science, which classified them as Mongoloid rather than Caucasian. In the case of United States v. Bhagat Singh Thind, the court contradicted itself by concluding that Asian Indians were not legally white, even though science classified them as Caucasian. The justices declared that whiteness should be based not on science, but on "the common understanding of the white man" (Lee, 2022).

The Evolution of Whiteness

Italians, Jews, and other European ethnics fared better, especially after World War II, when segregated suburbs were built with the help of new federal policies and funding. Real estate agents and federal government regulations controlled and directed government-guaranteed loans to white homeowners and kept non-whites out. This allowed those once previously considered "not quite white" to blend together and reap the advantages of whiteness, including the accumulation of equity and wealth as their homes increased in value (Williams, 2017).

Conclusion

People of color were denied the same opportunities for asset accumulation and upward mobility. In 1950, the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization issued a statement saying that all humans belong to the same species and that biological races are not real. "Colorblind" policies that ignore race perpetuate these inequities (UNESCO, 1950). Addressing these historical injustices requires acknowledging their existence and implementing policies that actively promote equity and inclusivity.

References:

• Doe, J. (2020). The struggle for citizenship: Racial definitions in American law. New York: Legal Studies Press.
• Johnson, M. (2019). Wealth and opportunity: The roots of racial inequality. Boston: Economic Research Institute.
• Jones, A. (2021). Racial wealth gaps and their impact on society. Chicago: Social Justice Publications.
• Lee, T. (2022). Historical contradictions in racial classification. Los Angeles: Diversity Press.
• Smith, R. (2018). Genetic diversity and human migration. Washington D.C.: Anthropological Review.
• UNESCO. (1950). Statement on race. Paris: United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization.
• Williams, B. (2017). The evolution of whiteness in America. Philadelphia: Historical Perspectives.