Race
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Race is a concept which classifies human beings according to broad physical characteristics such as skin color.
Some people consider it archaic (i.e., out of date, no longer considered valid) or unscientific.
Historical Perceptions of Race
The five races of mankind were considered to be:[Citation Needed]
- Black (Negro)
- Brown (as in India)
- Red (Native American)
- Yellow (Oriental)
- White (Caucasian)
The amount of melanin in one's skin naturally determines how dark it is. Some historical ideals of beauty exalted the lightness or darkness of skin. The 19th century American song, "The Yellow Rose of Texas", referred to the slightly dusky color of a girl's skin.