The first European to divide the peoples of the world into distinct races, in the seventeenth century, claimed that the Sami people of northern Scandinavia were one of four races on earth; Native Americans, Europeans, South Asians, and North Africans together were considered a second race. How did such a bizarre distinction among groups of people develop into one of the most historically significant ideas of the modern world? Join professor William Edelglass at the Moretown Town Hall as he traces the intellectual history of the concept of race in the West, from prehistory to today.

This talk is a Vermont Humanities Council program hosted by Moretown Library. (Supported in part by the National Endowment for the Humanities. Any views, findings, conclusions, or recommendations expressed in this program do not necessarily represent those of the NEH or VHC.)

Oct 14, 2024, 5 to 7 PM

Oct 16, 2024, 12 AM

Oct 17, 2024, 6 to 7:30 PM