The idea that humans can be classified into sub-groups based on their physical characteristics, and often simply on physical appearance. Now no longer considered to be useful for scientific purposes, it was all the rage not too long ago. To give you an idea of how bad it was, here's a list of races picked out (and simplified, believe it of not) form an encyclopedia from the 1960s.


Races of Man:
Basic types.
Caucaoid
Northern Chinese
American Indian
Filipino-Malaysian
African Negro
Australoid

Sub-types:

  • Europe
    Mediterranean
    Nordic
    Dinaric
    Baltic
    Mongoloid

  • Near and East India
    Indo-Dravidic Round-headed
    Indo-Dravidic Long-headed
    Caucasoid-Mongoloid
    Proto-Australoid
    Mediterranean
    Armenoid

  • Asia and Malaysia
    Eastern Mongoloid
    Caucasoid-Mongoloid
    Malaysian
    Pygmoid

  • The Americas
    ...Unclassified...

  • Africa
    African Negro
    Pygmoid

  • Australia, New Zealand, Borneo, and Pacific Islands
    Malaysian
    Oceanic Negro
    Polynesian
    Australoid

  • And...

    The Three Great Stocks of Man


    The World Book Encyclopedia, 1966