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Hugh Miller, the Highland writer, stonemason & palaeontologist, held racist views in later life. This @BBCHighlands article has a few things wrong though, so let me give you the real story [1/n] https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-highlands-islands-55258085
In the wake of the #BLM movement, as a judge for the #HughMillerWritingCompetition & co-organiser of the competition with @Ammonites_Stars & others, I suggested we look into the background of Miller & his views on race (the @friendsofmiller were not involved at this point.) [2/n]
![In the wake of the #BLM movement, as a judge for the #HughMillerWritingCompetition & co-organiser of the competition with @Ammonites_Stars & others, I suggested we look into the background of Miller & his views on race (the @friendsofmiller were not involved at this point.) [2/n]](https://pbs.twimg.com/media/Eo4fC0iXcAURPMF.jpg "In the wake of the #BLM movement, as a judge for the #HughMillerWritingCompetition & co-organiser of the competition with @Ammonites_Stars & others, I suggested we look into the background of Miller & his views on race (the @friendsofmiller were not involved at this point.) [2/n]")
We asked local historian David Alston for help - he's an expert in the history of race in the Highlands. He told us about passages in Miller's 'Testimony of the Rocks', in which Miller shares his views on race in the context of his religious beliefs & ideas about evolution. [3/n]
![We asked local historian David Alston for help - he's an expert in the history of race in the Highlands. He told us about passages in Miller's 'Testimony of the Rocks', in which Miller shares his views on race in the context of his religious beliefs & ideas about evolution. [3/n]](https://pbs.twimg.com/media/Eo4gMLuW4Acxfup.jpg "We asked local historian David Alston for help - he's an expert in the history of race in the Highlands. He told us about passages in Miller's 'Testimony of the Rocks', in which Miller shares his views on race in the context of his religious beliefs & ideas about evolution. [3/n]")
In the 19th Century many scientists believed that humans evolved from a Caucasian ancestor, and that other races had 'degraded' from that origin. Late in life Hugh Miller also believed this, and spoke about it in a lecture, published posthumously by his wife, Lydia. [4/n]
These views are against everything we as a committee, organising the #HughMillerWritingCompetition, stand for. So we made the decision earlier this year to pause the competition to discuss its future. David contacted the @friendsofmiller & @N_T_S to share his findings. [5/n]
This resulted in an article which I edited, written by Martin Gostwick in the @friendsofmiller newsletter 'Hugh's News', which acknowledged this history head-on (get in touch if you'd like a copy). From that, the BBC became interested. [6/n]
![This resulted in an article which I edited, written by Martin Gostwick in the @friendsofmiller newsletter 'Hugh's News', which acknowledged this history head-on (get in touch if you'd like a copy). From that, the BBC became interested. [6/n]](https://pbs.twimg.com/media/Eo4fphVXcAQy_d2.png "This resulted in an article which I edited, written by Martin Gostwick in the @friendsofmiller newsletter 'Hugh's News', which acknowledged this history head-on (get in touch if you'd like a copy). From that, the BBC became interested. [6/n]")
Miller's writing and discoveries remain an important part of Scotland's palaeontological and geological history. But we now know a new and difficult truth about the man himself. [7/n]
![Miller's writing and discoveries remain an important part of Scotland's palaeontological and geological history. But we now know a new and difficult truth about the man himself. [7/n]](https://pbs.twimg.com/media/Eo4ffxdXcA8_FVv.png "Miller's writing and discoveries remain an important part of Scotland's palaeontological and geological history. But we now know a new and difficult truth about the man himself. [7/n]")
