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of the Histories of Anthropology

Among the representatives of culturalism, Melville Herskovits (1895-1963) stands out for his pronounced inclination for African studies, bringing Africa and the Americas closer together around cultural issues, without neglecting the challenges of the historical framework of slavery. His book The Myth of the Negro Past (1942) seeks to restore a historical and cultural past to black Americans. From the 1920s, he was active in several African-American and African contexts. He also participated in the consolidation of the concept of acculturation and produced both monographs and theoretical synthesis texts.

Keywords: Cultural anthropology | Culturalism | 20th century | African Studies | African-American studies | Acculturation

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