Thomas Sowell, one of Americas leading voices on racial and ethnic matters, asks: What is it that allows certain groups to get ahead? He asserts that productive skills are the key to understanding the economic advancement of particular racial or ethnic groups, as well as countries and civilizations, and that the spread of those skills explains much of the advancement of the human race. Whether these skills, aptitudes, and disciplines are called culture or human capital, they explain far more than politics, prejudice, or genetics. Race and Culture encompasses dozens of racial and ethnic groups, living all over the world, over a period of centuries. Due to its breadth and scope, this study is able to test alternative theories empirically on a vast canvas in space and time. Its conclusions refute much, if not most, of what is currently believed about race and cultures.