A young Somali clerk defied Italian claims of white supremacy

Evidence

This last remark infuriated Osman rather than having the intended effect of appeasing him into submission. Osman, with tears in his eyes, told Cossu that he did not feel superior or inferior to any other human being and apologetically added that if this remark was offensive, Cossu could strike him if the law permitted such an act. Cossu was inflamed and shouted at Osman that he could not stay if he continued to think like this. Cossu rhetorically asked if Caroselli, the governor of the colony, was just like Cossu. Osman’s response was that the governor was professionally his superior but not as a human being. This seemingly arrogant rejoinder further inflamed Cossu, who bluntly told Osman that a black man would never be the equal of a white man. — Abdi Ismail Samatar, Africa’s First Democrats, 167

Categorization

• DEFINE: Reveals the core egalitarian conviction (‘professionally his superior but not as a human being’) that would define Osman’s later politics.