Melville J. Herskovits

de George Eaton Simpson

Portrays the first Africanist in the United States and the originator of scientific African-American studies; thus he enjoys the distinction of having founded two separate branches of anthropology which are exerting an increasingly profound influence on our time. Herskovits made fundamental contributions to each of these anthropological specializations, and was a pioneer in that area of anthropology which seeks to apply the discipline's knowledge to practical affairs. Dr. Simpson includes texts from sources which are little known including two short pieces on African art, an entertaining essay on voodoo, and a careful presentation of Herskovits' theory of African American studies.