Race Traits and Tendencies of the American Negro American Economic Association

Hoffman, Frederick L. Race Traits and Tendencies of the American Negro. New York: Published for the American Economic Association by the Macmillan Company, 1896. (Publications of the American Economic Association. Vol. XI. Nos. 1, 2 and 3. Pages 1-329. August, 1896.) x, 329 pp. With a new introduction by Paul Finkelman.

Reprint available 2003 by The Lawbook Exchange, Ltd. ISBN 1-58477-318-9. Cloth. $85. A fascinating study of the circumstances of African-Americans during the first thirty years from the emancipation of slavery in the United States. This analysis is divided into chapters that examine population factors, vital statistics, anthropometry, race amalgamation and social and economic conditions and tendencies.

The author concludes that, as of 1896, the abolition of slavery did not demonstrably improve the plight of African-Americans in the United States. Hoffman was the statistician to the Prudential Insurance Company of America at the time of this publication, and as such collected vital and social statistics regarding African-Americans.