Caroline Bond Day

An African-American Pioneer in Anthropology

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one of a set of encyclopedic-looking volumes which are seldom read except by scientists but I
am rather proud to have some such fine families to place on record there
Ms. Caroline Bond Day, when describing what it felt like to have Harvards planned publication of her thesis about people of mixed race, a topic much discussed but lesser known.

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 Caroline Bond Day, an intelligent woman, mixed between the following three races: Caucasian, African, and Indian, was born on November 18, 1889. Georgia and Moses Stewart, parents of Caroline Bond Day, were residing in Montgomery, Alabama, where Day was born. After the passing of Bond Day’s father, her mother had remarried to John Day, whom Caroline had taken the last name after. She had two half-siblings, both from her mother’s second marriage. Between the years of 1905 and 1908, Caroline had attended Atlanta University High School, where she received her High School Diploma. Four years later, in 1912 she had accomplished another goal, receiving her Bachelor’s Degree at Atlanta University.After completing her bachelor’s, Day was able to employ into three different jobs before registering back to school to work towards her masters. First, Day was employed as a YWCA secretary at a relief center for black individuals who needed assistance and counseling after World War I. Second, she was the dean for women at Paul Quinn College, located in Waco, Texas. In addition, also located in Texas, Day was the head of the English department at Prairie View College. While employed at Prairie View College Caroline had met her husband, Aaron Day, who she married on March 1, 1920.It was in 1919, when Day had gone back to school and attended Radcliffe College, where she had completed her Master Degree in 1932. Between the years of 1919 and 1932, the assumption was made that Day may have been starting her research as early as then considering it had included some nearby relatives from when she was in Texas. Day’s study included the “blood quantification”, which is the study where an individual’s race could possibly be determined (Ross et. al.1998:42). The main purpose of Day’s research was similar to those of many, which is to collect data and record the results on miscegenation, which is then used to possibly form a type of study that could define individuals of “mixed-blood”. Day had approached her research by examining two individuals, one being Caucasian and the other being African. Collecting data between the two, Day was able to complete her research of race-crossing. She had studied more than 300 different families, however, due to limited time given she was only able to discuss about 45 families. (Ross et. al. 1998: 44). In addition, she had listed the life styles and many activities that each families were involved in. This way, Day was able to compare the similarities between individuals of Caucasian background and African background. Many people had different opinions toward Day’s research, and although she did not receive as much support and agreement, she was one of the first African Americans to receive a graduates degree in Anthropology, the study at the time where not many African Americans or women were thought to be capable of becoming an anthropologists (Ross et al. 1998:47). Day had planned to work towards her doctorates, however, she unfortunately experienced bad health. She had suffered from a bad heart condition, which eventually lead to the death of Day on May 5, 1948.

 Caroline Bond Day, an intelligent woman, mixed between the following three races: Caucasian, African, and Indian, was born on November 18, 1889. Georgia and Moses Stewart, parents of Caroline Bond Day, were residing in Montgomery, Alabama, where Day was born. After the passing of Bond Day’s father, her mother had remarried to John Day, whom Caroline had taken the last name after. She had two half-siblings, both from her mother’s second marriage. Between the years of 1905 and 1908, Caroline had attended Atlanta University High School, where she received her High School Diploma. Four years later, in 1912 she had accomplished another goal, receiving her Bachelor’s Degree at Atlanta University.

After completing her bachelor’s, Day was able to employ into three different jobs before registering back to school to work towards her masters. First, Day was employed as a YWCA secretary at a relief center for black individuals who needed assistance and counseling after World War I. Second, she was the dean for women at Paul Quinn College, located in Waco, Texas. In addition, also located in Texas, Day was the head of the English department at Prairie View College. While employed at Prairie View College Caroline had met her husband, Aaron Day, who she married on March 1, 1920.

It was in 1919, when Day had gone back to school and attended Radcliffe College, where she had completed her Master Degree in 1932. Between the years of 1919 and 1932, the assumption was made that Day may have been starting her research as early as then considering it had included some nearby relatives from when she was in Texas. Day’s study included the “blood quantification”, which is the study where an individual’s race could possibly be determined (Ross et. al.1998:42). The main purpose of Day’s research was similar to those of many, which is to collect data and record the results on miscegenation, which is then used to possibly form a type of study that could define individuals of “mixed-blood”.

Day had approached her research by examining two individuals, one being Caucasian and the other being African. Collecting data between the two, Day was able to complete her research of race-crossing. She had studied more than 300 different families, however, due to limited time given she was only able to discuss about 45 families. (Ross et. al. 1998: 44). In addition, she had listed the life styles and many activities that each families were involved in. This way, Day was able to compare the similarities between individuals of Caucasian background and African background. Many people had different opinions toward Day’s research, and although she did not receive as much support and agreement, she was one of the first African Americans to receive a graduates degree in Anthropology, the study at the time where not many African Americans or women were thought to be capable of becoming an anthropologists (Ross et al. 1998:47). Day had planned to work towards her doctorates, however, she unfortunately experienced bad health. She had suffered from a bad heart condition, which eventually lead to the death of Day on May 5, 1948.


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The above picture is one image of the people that Caroline Bond Day studied in her ‘Negro-White Families’ research about people of mixed race in 1932. In her research Bond gathered family histories and photographs of over 300 ‘Negro-White families’ for her graduate work at Harvard University where she worked under eugenicist Ernest Hooton (Ardizzone 2006: 115). Ms. Day recruited subjects for her study from her circles of friends, family and acquaintances. About 350 families submitted family histories and photographs and filled out surveys for Ms Day’s research. Some even went so far to also allow themselves be measured with calipers. The published study of ‘Negro-White families’ included over 400 photos which “collectively provide a visual mediation between Day’s political goals, her exclusive focus on mixed-race families and her use of physical anthropology and blood-quantum language” (Ardizzone 2006: 106).

The above picture is one image of the people that Caroline Bond Day studied in her ‘Negro-White Families’ research about people of mixed race in 1932. In her research Bond gathered family histories and photographs of over 300 ‘Negro-White families’ for her graduate work at Harvard University where she worked under eugenicist Ernest Hooton (Ardizzone 2006: 115).

Ms. Day recruited subjects for her study from her circles of friends, family and acquaintances. About 350 families submitted family histories and photographs and filled out surveys for Ms Day’s research. Some even went so far to also allow themselves be measured with calipers. The published study of ‘Negro-White families’ included over 400 photos which “collectively provide a visual mediation between Day’s political goals, her exclusive focus on mixed-race families and her use of physical anthropology and blood-quantum language” (Ardizzone 2006: 106).

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Caroline Bond Day Fast Facts: ·         Gave the first class in Anthropology ever offered at Atlanta University; ·         Bond used many of her own family members in her study; ·         While many of her subjects in her research (mostly family and friends) shared her goals of African American equality and uplift, they were often suspicious of her field of Anthropology; ·         Day never completed a PhD however she is a quite accomplished and brilliant woman as she had attended the Tuskegee Institute and had Bachelor degrees from the University of Alabama and Radcliffe College of Harvard University. She had served as General Secretary of the Montclair, New Jersey YWCA, and as Executive Secretary for Negro War Relief. As a teacher, she had been Dean of Women at the Paul Quinn College of Waco Texas, English. She was the Department Head at the State College of Texas, and the Director of Dramatics at Atlanta University; ·         Caroline Bond Day was one of the first African Americans to enter graduate study in anthropology, the first at Harvard, and she received a Master’s degree and first authorship for her work; ·         Day was part of the racial uplift movement of the Progressive Era which advocated personal behavior as a political strategy for battling racism.  

Caroline Bond Day Fast Facts:

·         Gave the first class in Anthropology ever offered at Atlanta University;

·         Bond used many of her own family members in her study;

·         While many of her subjects in her research (mostly family and friends) shared her goals of African American equality and uplift, they were often suspicious of her field of Anthropology;

·         Day never completed a PhD however she is a quite accomplished and brilliant woman as she had attended the Tuskegee Institute and had Bachelor degrees from the University of Alabama and Radcliffe College of Harvard University. She had served as General Secretary of the Montclair, New Jersey YWCA, and as Executive Secretary for Negro War Relief. As a teacher, she had been Dean of Women at the Paul Quinn College of Waco Texas, English. She was the Department Head at the State College of Texas, and the Director of Dramatics at Atlanta University;

·         Caroline Bond Day was one of the first African Americans to enter graduate study in anthropology, the first at Harvard, and she received a Master’s degree and first authorship for her work;

·         Day was part of the racial uplift movement of the Progressive Era which advocated personal behavior as a political strategy for battling racism.

 

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The picture above is of Professor Earnest A. Hooton who taught at Radcliff and the man that Ms. Caroline Bond Day worked under during her time in Radcliff in 1919.

The picture above is of Professor Earnest A. Hooton who taught at Radcliff and the man that Ms. Caroline Bond Day worked under during her time in Radcliff in 1919.

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Above pictured is a map of Montgomery, Alabama in 1889. Ms. Caroline Bond Day was born there in that exact year in the month and day of November 18th. This map gives a feel for how Montgomery looked like when Day grew up and lived there.

Above pictured is a map of Montgomery, Alabama in 1889. Ms. Caroline Bond Day was born there in that exact year in the month and day of November 18th. This map gives a feel for how Montgomery looked like when Day grew up and lived there.