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Founding Father and Racist Physician



Who: Benjamin Rush (1746-1813)


What: Promoted theories of Black biological inferiority.


When: Late 18th century


Details: Rush believed that Black skin was a form of leprosy and that Black people

were biologically different from whites. These beliefs were widely disseminated in his medical teachings and writings, contributing to the justification of racial discrimination and slavery.

Why and How It Was Racist: Rush's pseudoscientific theories provided an intellectual foundation for the racist belief in Black inferiority, influencing both medical practice and public opinion.


Sources: https://archives.upenn.edu/exhibits/penn- people/biography/benjamin-rush/

d'Elia, D. J. (1969). Dr. Benjamin Rush and the Negro. Journal of the History of Ideas, 30(3), 413-422. https://www.jstor.org/stable/2708566

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