Final answer:
Frederick Hoffman, a white supremacist and insurance statistician, claimed African Americans were naturally inferior due to higher mortality rates, a view opposed by W. E. B. Du Bois who attributed these rates to social conditions. President Andrew Johnson also made derogatory statements against black suffrage and held white supremacist views.
Step-by-step explanation:
There were multiple individuals historically known for making statements regarding the African American race, and without a specific first name, it's challenging to identify which 'Hoffman' is being referenced.
However, looking at the information provided, it appears that Hoffman's statement in reference to might be discussing Frederick Hoffman, a white supremacist known for his 1896 publication 'Race Traits and Tendencies of the American Negro'.
Hoffman argued that African Americans were naturally inferior due to higher mortality rates, a claim that W. E. B. Du Bois refuted by showing these rates were the result of social conditions rather than innate racial traits.
President Andrew Johnson, following the Civil War, made several statements about African Americans as well.
Despite promising to be a 'Moses' for the freed slaves, Johnson harbored white supremacist views and opposed measures for constitutional equality and black suffrage.
His comments to a delegation led by Frederick Douglass revealed a strong bias against granting African Americans the right to vote, stemming from his trust in white supremacy and a government 'for white men'.