The American Negro: What He Was, What He Is, and What He May Become by William Hannibal Thomas

Welcome to this new series diving into one of the most controversial and polarizing works in African American intellectual history: The American Negro: What He Was, What He Is, and What He May Become: A Critical and Practical Discussion, written by William Hannibal Thomas and published in 1901 by The Macmillan Company. In the book, Thomas offers a vitriolic critique of what he describes as inherent "Negro characteristics," including alleged intellectual inferiority, moral degeneracy, laziness, sensuality, and corruption in religious and social life. He blames many ongoing struggles — such as illiteracy, poverty, and immorality — not primarily on the legacy of slavery or systemic racism, but on internal racial traits that he sees as deeply ingrained. Thomas argues that true progress requires Black Americans to emulate Anglo-Saxon (white) society, adopt a more "refined" form of Christianity, and focus on self-improvement through hard work, moral reform, and assimilation — with limited external aid from government or philanthropy.