From biological determinism to autonomy: reflections on race in Boas, Firmin, Du Bois, and Hurston

Abstract

The paper explores the contributions of Franz Boas, Anténor Firmin, W.E.B. Du Bois, and Zora Neale Hurston to the racial debate in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Boas and Firmin criticized biological determinism and scientific racism, rejecting the idea of fixed racial hierarchies and basing human differences on social, cultural, and environmental factors, not innate biological characteristics or phenotypic measurements. Du Bois and Hurston focused on the Black experience in the United States but with distinct approaches. Du Bois articulated "double consciousness" and "the Veil" to describe the psychological impact of racial exclusion, while Hurston rejected the tragic view, emphasizing autonomy, resilience, and personal strength in the face of oppression. Despite differing approaches (science/history vs. subjective experience), all shared the goal of dismantling the foundations of racism and affirming the humanity of Black people.