Document Type
Thesis
Date of Degree Completion
Spring 2022
Degree Name
Master of Science (MS)
Department
Primate Behavior
Committee Chair
Jessica Mayhew
Second Committee Member
Marwa Ghazali
Third Committee Member
Michelle Rodrigues
Abstract
This study introduces the intertwined history between Black U.S. Americans (hereinafter referred to as “Black American/s”), the African Diaspora (hereinafter referred to as “the Diaspora”), physical and biological anthropologies, and racism. It will detail the biographies of some of the earliest and impactful Black American physical anthropologists who confronted the established, institutionalized facets of discrimination and introduced what knowledge, talents, and insights a population labeled as “inferior” had to offer. This study aims to identify the reasons why the Black American is a scarce demographic in the discipline of primatology. Using quantitative and qualitative data collecting and analytical methods, insight into the current state of Black Americans in primatology in both academia and the workspace uncover the differences in social acceptance and cohesiveness between the Diaspora and non-Diaspora identifying groups. Qualitative results provide evidence of Black Americans suffering as victims of unjustified and immoral acts of racial discrimination, stereotyping, and inequitable treatment. Historical prejudice, institutionalized imbalance of power and favoritism, lack of interaction with the Black community, and other factors have played roles in the marginalizing and silencing of this population in primatology and are expanded upon through the application of critical race theory (hereinafter referred to as “CRT”). However, thanks to the transparency of study participants, solutions are proposed to help in the unattended issues of diversity and interpersonal conflicts that not only hinder the professional progression of Black Americans but also derail the advancement of primatological research.
Recommended Citation
Covington, Trevon, "The Blackness: Analyzing and Confronting the Underrepresentation of Black Americans in Primatology" (2022). All Master's Theses. 1769.
https://digitalcommons.cwu.edu/etd/1769
Included in
African American Studies Commons, Biological and Physical Anthropology Commons, Community-Based Research Commons, Curriculum and Instruction Commons, Curriculum and Social Inquiry Commons, Ethnic Studies Commons, Higher Education Commons, History of Science, Technology, and Medicine Commons, Inequality and Stratification Commons, Quantitative, Qualitative, Comparative, and Historical Methodologies Commons, Race and Ethnicity Commons, Science and Mathematics Education Commons, Social and Cultural Anthropology Commons, United States History Commons, Zoology Commons