Of One Blood: Or, the Hidden Self

In "Of One Blood" the author enlightens the reader about Ethiopian history(especially in 1903 when very few in America knew anything about African history)while educating African Americans of her time about a larger African world and a deep historical past. Critics have attempted to shoot her down with arrows called "Afro-romanticsm" and "Afrocentrity". Some have tried to negate her achievement by saying that by simply paying homage to Ethiopia's historical achievements in technology, culture, and literature she was advocating for 19th century Darwinistic values that said technology measured a civilization's progression. This is unfair, because Darwin did not invent that concept: power (be it technological or cultural) is revered throughout the world. By such a rationale, then any person of African descent cannot talk about technological achievements of Africans without being a victim of Darwinist ideals. There is only one truth...technology is impressive, and it will always be this way. Thus for Hopkins to want to acknowledge African achievements and educate her readers she is not saying ALL civilization should be measured by these standards, but that technological achievement is a part of the African past just as it is a part of other cultures. Her reason for focusing on Ethiopia is most related to the dominate African American religion, Christianity, and Ethiopia's pre-Roman Christian heritage.