Topic: Herskovits

Mo introduces Melville J. Herskovits, a Jewish-American anthropologist considered the "Elvis of African-American studies." Herskovits is credited with establishing the "Out of Africa" cultural continuity narrative in the 1940s. Mo questions why a white academic was allowed to define Black identity for the 20th century and how this "ownership" of the narrative persists in modern museums.

The discussion continues regarding Herskovits' 1941 book, *The Myth of the Negro Past*. Mo explains how academic narratives follow the funding, comparing the "invention" of Black history to the modern climate change industry. They discuss how this academic framework influenced later cultural milestones like Alex Haley's *Roots* and the eventual commercialization of Black culture.