Changes for page The Existence of Race

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84	84	A dramatic illustration was given by former U.S. Surgeon General David Satcher: as of around 2000, *black infants in America were 2.5 times more likely to die in their first year than white infants.{{footnote}} https://www.amren.com/archives/back-issues/october-1999/#:~:text=This%20difference%20is%20often%20ascribed,be%20caused%20by%20one%20of{{/footnote}} While some of this difference is socioeconomic, studies have found that even after accounting for factors like income and access to care, racial gaps in infant mortality and other health outcomes persist.{{footnote}} https://www.amren.com/archives/back-issues/october-1999/#:~:text=This%20difference%20is%20often%20ascribed,be%20caused%20by%20one%20of{{/footnote}} {{footnote}} https://www.amren.com/archives/back-issues/october-1999/#:~:text=This%20difference%20is%20often%20ascribed,be%20caused%20by%20one%20of{{/footnote}} The cause is not fully understood – hypotheses range from chronic stress of discrimination to possible genetic or bio-social factors. The AR (American Renaissance) source cynically noted that it’s hard to attribute an excess death rate in *newborns* to social racism,{{footnote}} https://www.amren.com/archives/back-issues/october-1999/#:~:text=This%20difference%20is%20often%20ascribed,be%20caused%20by%20one%20of{{/footnote}} hinting that biological differences (e.g. lower birth weight, different maturation rates, etc.) might be involved. While that interpretation is controversial, the raw facts of health disparities underscore that human populations are *not identical in health profile*, and some differences may stem from inherited traits. Modern medicine is actively studying such differences to better tailor treatments and preventive measures to diverse populations.{{footnote}} https://www.researchgate.net/publication/26756268_Is_Homo_sapiens_polytypic_Human_taxonomic_diversity_and_its_implications#:~:text=Finally%20the%20implications%20of%20this,save%20lives%20in%20the%20future{{/footnote}}
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	86	+Recent research published in //PNAS// (2025) on the impact of physician–patient racial concordance on infant mortality has revealed complexities that challenge simplified narratives.{{footnote}} https://www.pnas.org/doi/10.1073/pnas.2409264121#tab-contributors{{/footnote}} Notably, data indicating that white newborns experienced higher mortality rates when treated by Black physicians—implying that racial concordance does not uniformly reduce infant mortality—was initially included but subsequently removed by the study authors, citing concerns it would undermine the dominant narrative focused on saving Black infants.{{footnote}} {{/footnote}} This editorial choice illustrates the nuanced and multifactorial nature of racial disparities in infant mortality and underscores the difficulty of presenting such findings without oversimplification or bias.
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	88	+Such developments reinforce that racial health disparities result from a complex interplay of social, environmental, biological, and systemic factors
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86	86	## Evolved Differences Beyond Skin Color##
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88	88	As the above examples show, many racial differences have legitimate evolutionary purposes aside from the superficial trait of skin pigmentation. Each race represents an adaptive package: a set of traits that offered survival or reproductive advantages in their ancestral environment. A few key examples of adaptive differences include:
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118	118	Understanding the biological reality of race has important practical benefits. In medicine, it can literally save lives: being aware of racial differences in disease risk or drug response can improve diagnosis and treatment.{{footnote}} https://www.researchgate.net/publication/26756268_Is_Homo_sapiens_polytypic_Human_taxonomic_diversity_and_its_implications#:~:text=Finally%20the%20implications%20of%20this,save%20lives%20in%20the%20future{{/footnote}} For example, tailoring health screening (such as sickle-cell trait screening for African-descended populations){{footnote}} https://www.redcrossblood.org/donate-blood/blood-types/diversity/african-american-blood-donors.html#:~:text=More%20than%20100%2C000%20individuals%20in,blood%20transfusions%20throughout%20their%20lifetime{{/footnote}} or ensuring diverse blood donations{{footnote}} https://www.redcrossblood.org/donate-blood/blood-types/diversity/african-american-blood-donors.html#:~:text=More%20than%20100%2C000%20individuals%20in,blood%20transfusions%20throughout%20their%20lifetime{{/footnote}} are direct applications. In anthropology and human history, recognizing races (in the sense of lineage clusters) is essential for reconstructing human migratory events and evolutionary history.{{footnote}} https://www.researchgate.net/publication/26756268_Is_Homo_sapiens_polytypic_Human_taxonomic_diversity_and_its_implications#:~:text=indicating%20the%20existence%20of%20a,and%20treatment%20responsiveness%20will%20save{{/footnote}} It provides an accurate picture of how different human groups emerged and interacted over time.{{footnote}} https://www.researchgate.net/publication/26756268_Is_Homo_sapiens_polytypic_Human_taxonomic_diversity_and_its_implications#:~:text=indicating%20the%20existence%20of%20a,save%20lives%20in%20the%20future{{/footnote}}
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120		-None of this is to deny the *social* reality of race – of course, cultural notions of race have changed and often been misused. But biologically, race is not a myth. As one geneticist wrote, “the genome challenges the social construction of race” by showing that genetic clusters consistent with racial classifications do indeed exist./foot In the end, it’s more scientifically sound and beneficial to appreciate human racial diversity for what it is – an integral part of our species’ natural heritage. Embracing this understanding, while rejecting racist prejudices, leads to a more honest and useful discourse. The biological concept of race, properly defined and contextualized, remains a robust framework in human biology and medicine, supported by countless empirical findings. Far from being “disproven,” the existence of human races is continually reinforced by modern research across genetics, anthropology, and epidemiology.
	124	+None of this is to deny the *social* reality of race – of course, cultural notions of race have changed and often been misused. But biologically, race is not a myth. As one geneticist wrote, “the genome challenges the social construction of race” by showing that genetic clusters consistent with racial classifications do indeed exist.{{footnote}} https://someofmybestfriendsarewhite.tumblr.com/post/80846397928/race-is-biologically-non-existent-im-not-making#:~:text=The%20Genomic%20Challenge%20to%20the,Social%20Construction%20of%20Race{{/footnote}} {{footnote}} https://someofmybestfriendsarewhite.tumblr.com/post/80846397928/race-is-biologically-non-existent-im-not-making#:~:text=synthesis%20that%20accepts%20the%20existence,emerging%20model%20for%20understanding%20biosocial{{/footnote}} In the end, it’s more scientifically sound and beneficial to appreciate human racial diversity for what it is – an integral part of our species’ natural heritage. Embracing this understanding, while rejecting racist prejudices, leads to a more honest and useful discourse. The biological concept of race, properly defined and contextualized, remains a robust framework in human biology and medicine, supported by countless empirical findings. Far from being “disproven,” the existence of human races is continually reinforced by modern research across genetics, anthropology, and epidemiology.
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122	122	**Sources:**
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