Albert Einstein’s activities as a passionate advocate for peace were well-documented during his lifetime. His celebrity as a famous physicist and one of the world’s most recognizable faces lent a great deal of weight to his pacifism, a view otherwise not given much consideration in the popular press at almost any time in history. However, according to a 2006 book titled Einstein on Race and Racism by Fred Jerome and Roger Taylor, the scientist was also as passionate about combating racism and segregation as he was about combating war. This facet of Einstein’s life was virtually ignored by the media, as was a visit he made in 1946 to Lincoln University in Pennsylvania, the first degree-granting college for African-Americans and the alma mater of Langston Hughes and Thurgood Marshall.
Invited to Lincoln to receive an honorary degree, Einstein gave a lecture on physics but also bluntly addressed the racial animus that held the country in its grip, reportedly calling racism, “a disease of white people” and saying he “did not intend to be quiet” about his opposition to segregation and racist public policy. Lest anyone think the Nobel-prize-winning physicist was pandering to his audience, the Harvard Gazette offers a comprehensive summary of Einstein’s support of progressive anti-racist causes, including his personal support of members of Princeton’s black community (he paid one man’s college tuition), a town Princeton native Paul Robeson once called “the northernmost town in the south.”
Einstein formed relationships with several prominent black leaders—inviting opera singer Marian Anderson to stay in his home after she was refused a room at the Nassau Inn and appearing as a character witness for W.E.B. Dubois when the latter stood accused of “failing to register as a foreign agent.” But it was his 20-year friendship with Robeson that seems central to his involvement in civil rights causes. The Harvard Gazette writes:
Einstein met Paul Robeson when the famous singer and actor came to perform at Princeton’s McCarter Theatre in 1935. The two found they had much in common. Both were concerned about the rise of fascism, and both gave their support to efforts to defend the democratically elected government of Spain against the fascist forces of Francisco Franco. Einstein and Robeson also worked together on the American Crusade to End Lynching, in response to an upsurge in racial murders as black soldiers returned home in the aftermath of World War II.
At the time of the Gazette article, 2007, a movie about Einstein and Robeson’s friendship was apparently in the works, with Danny Glover as Robeson and Ben Kingsley as Einstein. The project is apparently stalled, but with the upsurge in popular interest in the history of civil rights—with the overturning of the Voting Rights Act and the widespread coverage of the 50th anniversary of the March on Washington—perhaps the project will see new life soon. I certainly hope so.
via PourMeCoffee
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Josh Jones is a writer and musician based in Durham, NC. Follow him at @jdmagness
Huh. So Albert Einstein was racist. Learn something new every day.
You clearly don’t understand the meaning of the word.
You clearly don’t understand the meaning of the word.
You clearly don’t understand the meaning of the word.
Old Albert never had any dealings with the Japanese then if he believes only white people are racist…
Said by a “White Man” you should know because your race created and now defines racism. How about the White people who made and dropped a bomb on those racist Japanese. FYI you’re forehead is abnormally large.…
Kudos to Einstein. The sad fact of the matter is that racism has been prevalent since the beginning of time whether it was religious racism or race related. We have come a long way in this country since the sixties but we have a long way go yet. It’s sad that there are so many people today who are more interested in fanning the flames than really solving the problem.
Actually racism didn’t exist until about the 1500’s. Back when Greece and Rome were fisrt blossoming many of the famous(Herodotus, Strabo, Hippocrates,etc) pay their respects to Africans. In fact many of the Europeans would travel to Egypt/Ethiopia for learning. There were many African generals in the roman army and there were 3–4 African popes. Racism can be unlearned…but it takes courage. We all need each other’s help tho.
Your statement is incorrect. As “Li580” pointed out, the construct of “race” did not really exist until around the 16th century and is thought to have originated with the Portuguese. The word you are looking for is “prejudice”. People have always been prejudiced against foreigners and probably always will be. However, that’s more a matter of nationalism and fear of the unknown than anything else, which even lesser animals exhibit. Racism, however, is the belief that your race is superior to another. A very different and far more dangerous idea altogether as one can eventually cease to be seen as foreigner once enough time passes and some other new group arises. One cannot however change the physical markers that societal constructs force on each “race” of people.
Your statement is incorrect. As “Li580” pointed out, the construct of “race” did not really exist until around the 16th century and is thought to have originated with the Portuguese. The word you are looking for is “prejudice”. People have always been prejudiced against foreigners and probably always will be. However, that’s more a matter of nationalism and fear of the unknown than anything else, which even lesser animals exhibit. Racism, however, is the belief that your race is superior to another. A very different and far more dangerous idea altogether as one can eventually cease to be seen as foreigner once enough time passes and some other new group arises. One cannot however change the physical markers that societal constructs force on each “race” of people.
Your statement is incorrect. As “Li580” pointed out, the construct of “race” did not really exist until around the 16th century and is thought to have originated with the Portuguese. The word you are looking for is “prejudice”. People have always been prejudiced against foreigners and probably always will be. However, that’s more a matter of nationalism and fear of the unknown than anything else, which even lesser animals exhibit. Racism, however, is the belief that your race is superior to another. A very different and far more dangerous idea altogether as one can eventually cease to be seen as foreigner once enough time passes and some other new group arises. One cannot however change the physical markers that societal constructs force on each “race” of people.
I’m glad Einstein was courageous enough to make this statement in regards to American racism. Americans never want to HONESTLY speak about racism and how it’s tearing this country apart. Racism is still very prevalent today and only because no one wants to have an honest conversation. There is no understanding of what racism is and now people think that when you call out some white people on their racist behavior then lo and behold that person is racist. Talking about racism and its origin is not about blaming but about examining ones beliefs, behavior and ones reactions to racist beliefs and behaviors. When Americans grow up and learn to speak about race openly and honestly will we grow as a country where ALL the citizens are seen as equal and afforded equal opportunity.
I agree. Also it’s not just racism from the whites anymore. It’s racism from all sides. EVERYONE needs to become more tolerant. Although at the time of Einstein the racism, especially in the government was coming from whites obviously.
white people are racist because they have been allowed to achieve a lot through killing people from other racial groups!. and these people havent had enough will to defend themselves
Again so only white people have the will to do what it takes? In Germany they have just past law for a new 3rd gender, this is the legacy of racism at its height. That now recessive gene can be passed on to other races, that is why they raped and killed to preserve and sustain the European features that define race.
That was just incoherent ramble. Would you care to re-write that nonsense into something that makes a bit of sense. They passed a law of what? 3rd gender? And how does rape have to do anything? Are you a loony. No you’re totally a loony.
Step 1: write post about Einstein being against racism.
Step 2: watch racists complain.
Racism IS American culture. The whole culture itself is racist. American culture is a white supremacy culture, where whites have more power in this society than nonwhites. After 500 years, we still favor the lighter skin than the darker skin in America, such as employment hiring, hollywood films, dating, education system, justice system, etc. Racism has not gotten better over time. It is only the form of racism that has evolved over time. America was born out of racism and genocide. It’s the first nation in the world that was born racist. We are all racists in America, we all judge each other base on racial stereotypes on the first impression. And the stereotypes are reinforced by the media.
Like I always said “If you ain’t racist enough, you ain’t American enough.”
White supremacy is an idea. White supremacists are people who believe or promote the idea of white supremacy. And you don’t need to be wearing pointy white hats nor having a swastika tattoo to be one. In fact, you don’t even need to be white to be a white supremacist. We all believe in white supremacy, especially in America.
We all say we love chinese food and mexican food. But if I ask you to pick a restaurant for your anniversary, how likely how you gonna pick a chinese or mexican restaurant? No, white supremacy culture promotes that we should go to french or italian because they are “higher class” than chinese or mexican.
Name the world famous artists. Are they all white? Or majority are white? White supremacy cultural education system taught us that European artists are the ones we should idolize, they are the ones we should follow. Another promotion of white supremacy.
Not only our behavior has been conditioned to white supremacy by American culture, our way of thinking is too.
The Isis Papers explains much of the issue of racism pretty well.
I am connected spiritually to all my people who were torn from their homes and forced into slavery.
The British so called empire is built on the profit of this filthy trade so when an uneducated english man tells me to get out of his country I tell him to in fact get out of My land.
You see, the surfer these simple people use on their cereals, the art galleries they visit to pretend that they are civilized and cultured all exits directly because of my brother’s and sister’s who died in the mist brutal of ways.
The German royal family in this country were involved in this trade of human kidnap.
The Elephant and Castle
tube station and various pubs of that name are named so to CELEBRATE the sheer evil connection the royal family had and still has with slavery.
The Jamaican Prime Minister understandably asked for The british to give up all colonial power of land, what happened?
The simpleton fake disgusting so called majority in this country shouted this idea down through various media outlets and harry was sent to Jamaica to tell the Prime Minister to shut up her bloodclart on such matters.
Who ever says the effects of slavery, colonialism both heavily related are over are living in a fairy world.
I meant sugar as in Lyle and Tate.
I try my hardest to see good in ALL people but it is sometimes hard when you are aware there is a conscious effect to cull humans of melaninated skin which is everyone not white skinned.
From forced sterilization in Israel of the Eithiopian Jews to the African girls and women in AS and elsewhere to continually oppressing or trying to oppress all people with melanin.
Particularly in the U.S the white population has decreased for the under 5’s, in short while not everywhere but in certain locations and in relation to specific demographics white people as we know are declining and this can not be allowed to happen.
So set up and encourage abortion of Black babies but call it ‘Planned Parenthood’.
Another way to carry out eugenics in order to maintain the status quo regarding population rates of whites.
Not all white persons are overtly racist but they do ALL benefit from the well thought out spoken and unspoken dynamic of white supremacy.
This insidious construct gets US from young, at school and continues.
The tv and so on.
Thankfully I will NOT allow my brain to be washed by this evil.
Marcus Garvey, X, Dr Frances Cresling have washed my brain of the indoctrination and so This shall continue.
I am typing from my fiddly phone.
Apologies for the errors.
One last thing racism IS a diseased of white individuals however some are honest enough ( not fake liberals white guilt,no tolerance for such vibes)to objectively and subjectively acknowledge this reality.
The Maios received compensation as did the Jews, what is so different about African humans?
More humans died during the Atlantic slave trade!
All hail Albert Einstein
fux
What White people are racist!!
No way! Who would of thought!!!!
Honestly, we will never have an open dialogue on race in America because there is a culture of denial that goes way back to the building of the pyramid by Hotep and the discovery that all humans come from “Lucy“who was found in Africa. The Olmec features are distinctly African and so are the features of the pharaohs and queens of the Nile. These historic truths have been largely ignored or distorted to make real African people think that they are of no value or have no significant contribution to civilization. The opposite is true but not taught in European or American schools or churches. Religion takes the hearts and spirit of a people and makes their captivity seem spiritually correct. In fact, scripture seems to support slavery as an honorable situation to find one’s self in during colonial Times. This is and was brainwashing at its best. Notwithstanding the fact that in Europe and some South American countries they still worship the Black Madonna and Black Holy Infant who have black skin and wooly hair…We just weren’t taught our history but were taught HIStory! It begins with us teaching our youth at home the facts because I doubt they will ever be taught the truth in school. We need to learn ourselves that some of the things we thought we know aren’t the truth. The truth will set you free! Just don’t rely on others to tell you the whole truth unless it benefits them
That’s the damn dumbest thing I’ve ever heard of. As a Black man, I’m a white supremacist?
Do Not Associate Me Or Any Other People With The Moral Failings Of Europeans. That’s SOLELY a European trait.
My wife and I celebrated our 2nd anniversary last week. We ate at (our favorite) Thai restaurant. YOU believe that French or Italian is “classier” than others. Myself, my family AND my friends know that US politicians will boycott “French” fries because they won’t run to war as eagerly as America will, but are SILENT, when French troops film themselves SODOMIZING STARVING CHILDREN!
GTFOH There’s nothing more annoying than Anglos not wanting to share a dime of the profits from sytematic racism that’s festered in this country since, how old is the US? But now that SOCIAL MEDIA unearths the COLD HARD NASTY TRUTH ABOUT EUROPEANS.…
.…you now want me.….ME? to share in your people’s immoral racism?
With all do respect you as a human.….bitch please. Sit down.
Less we forget!July 4 1776.
My African Ancestors were brought to this Land in Chains.
Indentured servants were trying to get out of debt.
The Natives, the first born on this land, were running for their lives after serving the first Thanksgiving dinner and forming the Original Home Land Security.
Fredrick Douglas had it right about the Fourth of July.
Michael St.Johns’
They dropped the bomb on us first, over a trade war.
They wanted more steel to rape the Chinese.
Do you even history bro?
A genius who has realized many things proved true realizes yet another thing.
You disagree with this realization.
The genius, not you, is probably right.
Einstein said if he had his life again he’d be a plumber.
Gets my vote,top man.
Well, Einstein evidently didn’t know about the Chinese doctrine of the “Middle Kingdom,” and also completely ignored his own people’s belief in the “chosen” and the “goyim.”
And that’s just two easy examples, both of which are entirely predicated upon race.
So if white ppl didn’t achieve anything by killing ppl from other racial groups, then they WOULD’NT be racist?? You make no sense and your generalization is a racist comment to boot. Congrats, you’re an idiot and a hypocrite.
Would these be the same white people who marched up the Nile in red jackets & left their bones bleaching in the sand to put an end to slavery?
so who else has the KKK after them, any other race? no, I didn’t think so. and who are the KKK made up of? yes, I thought so.
The slave trade was first abolished by King Ashoka in India. Slavery hasn’t really been around in Asia for ages other than illegal cases of slave trade
Has anyone mentioned the racism of Darius, marching out of Persia in 490 BC, determined to wipe all Greeks off the face of the earth. Their tradition of anti-Europeanism continues to this day, their imams preaching from the pulpit death to all Western Civilisation.
While white ppl certainly have a problem with racism. Only people with little to no exposure to nations of other ethnicities would ever say it’s exclusive or even more prominent in white people. Spend some time in Asia, South America, the Middle East, or Africa if you’d like to be exposed to plenty of racism of the non-white variety
Any recommendations as to how we solve this problem? And what do you mean by ‘fanning the flames’?
But it does seem to be that we have taken it to astounding heights.
Do you know that Darius wasn’t a muslin, Mohamed was not even born, and the Greeks had invade Persian colonies many times, don´‘t you?
Caucasian’s should not have a monopoly on the word ‘white’. I have seen better examples of white in north indians, north chinese, koreans and japanese yet they are not allowed to use the word white. the use of the word white for Europeans and coloured for the rest of the world is racist in itself and screams of institutional racism. we should remove this from all application forms
the word ‘colourless’ is another option. see how do you like that? ok then, Caucasian it is.
racsim in westerm countries is violent hatred where foreigners are physically attacked and mentally abused by media. in Asia/middle east it is rarely violent and the media is more focused on local culture. so we can handle asian/ middle eastern Racsim a lot better than western. south america and africa i cannot comment on as i have not lived there.
Well well well, a genius but a racist human being … Interesting.