Historical Origins of Racial Classification
See also: Historical definitions of raceGroups of humans have probably always identified themselves as distinct from other groups, but such differences have not always been understood to be natural, immutable and global. These features are the distinguishing features of how the concept of race is used today.
The word "race" was originally used to refer to any nations or ethnic groups. Marco Polo in his 13th-century travels, for example, describes the Persian race—the current concept of "race" dates back only to the 17th century.
Read more about this topic: Contemporary Views On Race
Famous quotes containing the words historical, origins and/or racial:
“Among the virtues and vices that make up the British character, we have one vice, at least, that Americans ought to view with sympathy. For they appear to be the only people who share it with us. I mean our worship of the antique. I do not refer to beauty or even historical association. I refer to age, to a quantity of years.”
—William Golding (b. 1911)
“Lucretius
Sings his great theory of natural origins and of wise conduct; Plato
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Of incorruptible wax to hive the Greek honey.”
—Robinson Jeffers (1887–1962)
“I say to you quite frankly that the time for racial discrimination is over.”
—Jimmy Carter (James Earl Carter, Jr.)