Genetics research tears down our long-held prejudices about the concept of race
National Geographic’s April print edition is a special issue dedicated to the topic of racism, published to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the assassination of Martin Luther King Jr. The cover photo features Marcia and Millie Biggs, a pair of twins from the UK, one black, the other white, that challenge readers to reconsider what they know about race.
The April edition of National Geographic (now available) provides readers with recent research and photo-essays essential for understanding the story of humans through the lens of labels that define, divide, and unite us. The articles featured in this special issue include:
“Skin Deep,” an article that explores the roots of scientific racism and how research in genetics has developed over time, revealing that the concept of race is a human invention that lacks a scientific basis. Written by Pulitzer Prize-winning author Elizabeth Kolbert, featuring photos by Robin Hammond.
“The Things That Divide Us,” a look at the evolutionary roots of group bias and the current efforts by the scientific community to combat that bias. Text by David Berreby, featuring photos by John Stanmeyer.
“Streets in His Name,” a photo-essay featuring text by award-winning journalist Wendi C. Thomas about commemorative streets the world over named after Martin Luther King Jr. and how they reflect the legacy the civil rights leader left behind.
“Resistance, Reinvented”, a historical remembrance of the struggle black people have endured on their journey towards freedom, by Senegalese photographer Omar Victor Diop.