The Color Line: A Brief in Behalf of the Unborn

"The Color Line: A Brief in Behalf of the Unborn" by William Benjamin Smith is a contentious exploration of early 20th-century racial ideology. Focused on the landscape of American race relations, the essay puts forward a case for the purported supremacy of Caucasians and the alleged inferiority of Black people, establishing a narrative rooted in upholding racial separation for the sake of preserving what Smith considers the superior Caucasian lineage. Right from the start, the author suggests race as the defining challenge for America's future, championing the South's dedication to preventing racial mixing, using biological and evolutionary ideas. Smith sparks dialogues about racial differences, drawing on historical and scientific thought to promote the notion that racial mixing would degrade the dominant race and ruin society, arguing his points with intense conviction about the importance of keeping bloodlines "pure."