From Superman to Man

Joel Augustus Rogers (1880/3 – 1966) was a Jamaican-American author, journalist and historian who wrote about the history of Africa and the African diaspora. He challenged prevailing ideas about scientific racism, demonstrating the ancient connections between civilizations, and tracing the achievements of Africans. The book ‘From Superman to Man’ (1917) is a history text presented in the form of a novel. The plot is based on a debate between a black Pullman porter and a white racist politician. Rogers uses this debate to present his personal philosophies and to disprove stereotypes about black people and white racial superiority. With each stereotype raised, the porter replies with a multidisciplinary rebuttal that debunks the racist myth. The porter’s arguments are based on a wide variety of contemporary and classical sources.