The concept of a Malay race was originally proposed by the German scientist Johann Friedrich Blumenbach (1752–1840), and classified as the brown race. Since Blumenbach, many anthropologists have rejected his theory of five races, citing the enormous complexity of classifying races. The concept of a "Malay race" differs with that of the ethnic Malays centered around Malaysian Malay Peninsula and parts of the Indonesian island of Sumatra.
The term Malay race was commonly used in the late 19th century and early 20th century to describe the Austronesian peoples.
Read more about Malay Race: Etymology, The Conception of Malay As A Race, Colonial Influences, Malaysian Context, Philippine Context, Indonesian Context, United States Context
Famous quotes containing the word race:
“[It is possible] that the race of red men ... will, before many generations, be remembered only as a strange, weird, dream-like specter, which has passed once before the eyes of men, but had departed forever.”
—James A. Garfield (1831–1881)