Ibrahim 1

Fadumo Ibrahim
professor Marie Lo
Racial & Social Justice
16 November 2015
Black Bodies, White Science
The article Black Bodies, White Science talks about the separate creation of human
races. It talks about how humans came from different ancestral species and places,this is called
the ideology of polygenesis. The opposite is monogenesis, which means that human species
came from just one place and one pair. Brian Wallis uses great evidence to show the idea of
separate creation of human races, using different views.
Louis Agassiz was the founder of the daguerreotypes. The daguerreotype was used for
both scientific and political purpose. He used the daguerreotype to prove scientifically that
White Europeans and Black Africans have different body types. Agassiz used images as evidence
to support the white race superiority. He used photography to back up his theory of separate
creation. Agassiz believed in the idea of polygenesis, which holds that humans originated as
separate species. Based on the article, daguerreotypes had specific meaning in relation to
prevailing political, economic, and aesthetic theories about race.
Brian Wallis also used the theory of Dr. Samuel Morton. Morton was a famous skull
collector. He published two skull compendia: Crania Americana (1839) and Crania Aegyptiaca
(1844). These are works that demonstrate understanding of race in America.

Ibrahim 2
Mortons first book talks about shape and capacity of the skulls of various North
American types, which are classified as white, Indian, Eskimo, and Negro. His idea was that all
races had at all times the same physical and mental characteristics. He also believed that races of
mankind had been separately created as distinct and unequal species.
The fifteen daguerreotypes are divided into two series. The first one was made of
someone standing, with fully nude images showing front, side, and rear views. According to the
article, these images showed physiognomic approach. This means to record body shape,
proportions, and posture. By contrast, Rentys photographs focused on heads and torsos. These
images showed phrenological approach. They focused mostly on the skulls or head shape and
size.
Overall, Brian Wallis uses good evidence to convince reader of his idea. The idea is
white scientist use science to show black Africans have different physical types than white
Europeans, and that we came from different ancestral line. I think he is convincing because he
shows different perspectives, so we see his point of view. He also uses various evidence, such as,
quotes to support his argument. Wallis demonstrates his argument using Louis Agassizs Slave
Daguerreotypes and other scholars and scientist that he mentions throughout the article. The way
he addresses the issues is really convincing to support the argument that humans races are
separate creation.