Ancestors in the Mist

Dedicated to John T. Noonan, Jr.; 'ose mishpat usedhaqa lekhol 'ammo. - This is my slightly expanded after-luncheon address of November 17, 1987, to a colloquium at Philadelphia sponsored by the Annenberg Research Institute, 'The Judeo-Christian Tradition and the U.S. Constitution', panel 'Covenant and Social Contract'. My friend Calum Carmichael, who was in the audience, drew my attention to Martin Bernal, Black Athena, The Afroasiatic Roots of Classical Civilisation, vol. 1, 1987. I have now read it and, though not competent to judge in detail, do sympathize with and feel fortified by its approach.