The Brain of the American Negro

Burt Green Wilder (1841–1925) was an eminent American anatomist and brain collector.  During the American Civil War, Wilder – who was white – served as a surgeon in the 55th Massachusetts Infantry, a black regiment. Inspired by his comrades, he became an advocate for African-American civil rights. He presented this paper to the First National Negro Conference in New York in 1909. Although Wilder's methodology may now seem offensive, many of the conference resolutions – equal opportunities and spending on state schools – still resonate.