First, a few housekeeping details:
- Remember that this class doesn’t use Blackboard. Check the course website every week for updates and detailed reading instructions which will appear on this page
- Get a copy of the two required course book if you haven’t done so already. You will need it to do the reading assignments for the rest of the semester. If ordering online, you should order it now so it’ll arrive in time. Details on the books page. I’m aware of the issues with the bookstore and am looking into the situation.
- Please sign up for the class text message service run by Remind(.com) if you haven’t done so yet
- You can sign up online here or send a text message to (608) 467-4328 and type the following as the message: @aas166.
- Makes it easy for me to quickly send out important messages
- There’s a class WhatsApp group that is helpful–or so I’m told since I’m not on it. Anyhow, check it out if you haven’t yet.
On the weekly Zoom sessions:
- The sessions are being recorded. Still figuring out the best way to post them. Stay tuned.
- Sign-up info for weekly Zoom sessions is on the Zoom meet info page. I recommend saving the meeting ID and password in your calendar or elsewhere to easily join
General Announcements:
- Lehman has emergency grants available to quickly provide money for housing, medical, food, transportation, and other needs. Details at the Student Affairs office.
- The Lehman Food Bank offers food assistance. Details here.
- Lehman has a very comprehensive page of students resources including laptop/tablet loans. Details here.
Events
- Shameless self-promotion, but I’m moderating a Zoom discussion on Monday 2/22 from 7-9 PM with several members of The Last Poets: an important group of poets/activists with roots in the Black Power/Black Arts era of the 1960s-70s and still performing and writing today. It’s free: sign-up here.
- After my event, you might want to watch the Mr. SOUL! documentary film on PBS @ 10 PM and streaming after that.
Quick highlights from third class on 2/17
- Website review
- Zoom wait room music: Betty Carter’s “Feed the Fire“
- Musical selection: Albert Collins’s “Snowed In.”
- Reviewed Chapters 1 and 2 from Introduction to Black Studies
- See the Lecture Notes page for a PDF of the slide deck presented in class (UPDATE: posted!)
- See the video of Temple University’s Molefe Asante defining Afrocentricity on YouTube
What to do for Week 4–February 24:
READ Chapter 3 (“Black History: African Background”) in Maulana Karenga’s Introduction to Black Studies (pages 65-102).
- As usual, start with the Key Terms and Study Questions at the end of the chapter to guide your reading.
- Focus on the following: the concepts of Maat, sankofa, and Sebait.
- And the following people: Imhotep and Ptah-hotep.
- Read the sections “The Legacy of Egypt” and “The Decline of African Societies” slowly and carefully and take good notes.
- Connect points in this chapter to the points in section 2.6 (“Classical African Studies”) to the sections from Chapter 2 and Dr. Karenga’s reasons for the importance of Egypt and Nile Valley civilization on pp. 56-57
- Focus on Critical Thinking questions 2,3 and 5. You don’t have to write out extensive answers, but take brief notes on each.
RESPOND to one idea in the chapter and DISCUSS it with classmates and myself with the comment board at the bottom of this post
ATTEND the weekly Zoom session @ 6 PM EST on Wednesday February 24
General reading strategies:
- Underline/highlight key points in the text
- Use the reading questions at the back of chapters to focus you: read those first
- Try to understand the definitions of the key concepts listed at the back of the chapter
- Make a note to ask the instructor to clarify anything you don’t understand
- Note key issues, approaches, and dilemmas/challenges Dr. Karenga outlines
Discussion questions
- TBA
What’s Next?
Chapter 4 in Introduction to Black Studies: “Black History: Africans in America”
Comments on posts:
Scroll all the way to the bottom of the post for the “Leave a Comment” button below. Here’s how it works: you can use this to discuss points raised here. A few points:
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- Comments section will only be open to enrolled students
- You have to leave your name (enter as first name and last initial only) so a) I can make sure only people in the class are commenting and b) you get credit for the comment
- Remember to be respectful, especially when responding to classmates
- The comments section closes 14 days after a post goes live
To ‘participate’ in the class, I’d like to see everyone 1) post a substantive comment of their own based on either the reading or my lecture using some of the questions raised or conversation prompts, and 2) to respond thoughtfully to someone else’s comment—not just agree/disagree, but add on evidence or ask a follow-up question. You can also ask a question–for me or others–but that doesn’t count toward your comment and reply needed for the grade. It’s fine with me if conversation continues in a thread as long as it does, but two responses showing a clear engagement with the reading will count for being ‘present.’ Does that make sense? You have two weeks to write those two comments for credit.
Introduction to Africana Studies 
There was a correlation between Black Studies and the development of humans.
Basically in Africa there was Agriculture in order to obtain things like food in order to survive.
They developed medicine as well in order to cope with situations in order to be healthy.
In this reading of chapter 3, Africans were instrumental basically in creating certain tools in order
to develop and adapt to their environment. They discovered fire, and made shelters, etc.
Sankofa was basically a quest for knowledge, basically return and recover. Black studies
was all about struggle and what steps were needed to develop and grow into what is needed
to achieve in their further development.
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Ismail I completely agree with you when you stated that there is a correlation between Black Studies and the development of humans. Not only were Africans were instrumental in creating tools and adapting to their environment, they were wise enough to not let their culture die with all the unfortunate circumstances they had to deal with. Their culture is so strong that it is the root of the majority of the cultures that live on today.
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It is crucial for the world to understand its history, and since evidence suggest Africa is the birthplace of humanity and civilization as it know it today, it Is important to understand Africa’s true history in order to understand our world today and make corrections for the future. This concept in the book is called “Sankofa” a word that means “to return and recover it” in Akan. The book defines Sankofa as returning to resource to use it as a foundation to present and enhance the future. Having a deep understanding of our history would allow us to see repair our mistakes which can only help us further develop.
The book definition of history also seems very interesting “Is the struggle and record of humans in the process of humanizing the world, shaping it in their own image and interests.” and it seems to relate very well with Dr. John Henrik Clarke story about inquiring about his people history and being told that his people had no history. This clarifies the current Eurocentric views of the world when it comes to people of African descent since our stories are usually told from someone else’s perspective and how notably absent Africa is in our world history textbooks.
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@ Angel, i agree with your statement that people need to notice that it was Africa that people got
their development and identity. Africa is definately the motherland and a place where people acquired
certain skills from the African people being instrumental in terms of being the very first people to dig
wells, search for food with tools they have created and so on, and it was in Africa where people
learned how to survive and what it takes to survive in general. Some people will look at Africa and
say poverty, and say that it is a poor continent. That maybe true, but African people they are known for
being extremely smart and adept at doing things as it pertains to human development etc.
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Yes, @Angel and @Ismail, I was astounded to read about the immense African contributions to Spain with the Moorish conquest in 711CE. I had not been aware of the extent to which Africans introduced literacy, libraries, agricultural innovations and cultivation of rice, cotton, sugar cane, lemons, and dates, for example. I visited the Alhambra a few years ago, and though the incredible complex is credited as an Islamic or Moorish marvel, the direct link to African culture is underemphasized. The pages of Dr. Karenga’s text (92-96) detailing not only the African contributions to the Iberian Peninsula, but the enormous losses subsequent to African withdrawal and the broken promises of Ferdinand and Isabella were enormously illuminating. What a tragedy and loss for the Spanish and Portuguese people.
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@Angel i really like what you wrote. this chapter is very specific and clear. for so long i was having a bad perspective of being black and feels good when you learn more about black History and we need to thanks Dr John Henrik Clarke for clarifies us about it.. As a afro Latina that I am this book is teaching me so far about my ancestors, and yes we do have a beautiful history and culture and it goes beyond being a slave because that’s all we’ve been taught for a long time.
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Hello Angel, I also found the book’s definition of history interesting. I never thought of the concept of struggling in order to humanize the world. I like that in the book, it talks about the African’s using the world around them to appeal to them, and it is very important for Africans, to tell their history.
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I’m still doing the reading so this is just a share, but was absolutely fascinated by the description of the eleven extraordinary rock-hewn churches commissioned by the Zagwe Emperor Lalibela in the thirteenth century. Dr. Karenga writes: “No other African country holds for African people on the Continent and in the Diaspora, the mystique and meaning that Ethiopia has. It is a special land with religious, cultural, and political meaning for Africans everywhere and thus a continuous and core focus in Africana Studies” (87).
I looked for photos and found that UNESCO has a site devoted to the Lalibela churches, which remain a pilgrimage site for Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo and Coptic Christians. Each church in this mountainous region, about 645 km from Addis Ababa, is carved from a single immense block of stone, filled with gorgeous carvings. Some interiors retain their original mural paintings. One of the churches, Biete Ghiorgis, is entirely carved in the shape of a cross. The UNESCO page has a detailed description as well as many photographs: https://whc.unesco.org/en/list/18/gallery/&maxrows=75
Here is a link to a very short video produced by NHK (Japanese television, in English): https://whc.unesco.org/en/list/18/video/
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Also, in keeping with viewing African culture from an African perspective, here is an article on the geology of the site, and the tradition of medieval rock-hewn churches in Ethiopia, written by faculty members at two major Ethiopian universities: https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S1464343X10001676
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The process of returning to and recovering–Sankofa</em)–African history and culture can be advanced by studying the legacies of Africa’s many extraordinary elders and moral philosophers, including Imhotep and Ptah-Hotep of Kemet. Imhotep was a multitalented advisor to Pharaoh Djoser in the 3rd Dynasty of the Old Kingdom period (c. 2686-2181 B.C.E). As the pharaoh’s master architect and engineer, Imhotep designed the first pyramid, constructed in step style, near Saqqara. Imhotep’s legacy also includes contributions in fields as varied as philosophy, religion, astronomy, and medicine, where his fame as a god or father of medicine increased and was recognized by foreigners, including Greeks, who compared him to their own god of medicine, Asklepios (80). Ptah-Hotep contributed to Kemet’s substantial body of moral literature known as Sebait, or the Books of Wise Instruction. Ptah-Hotep authored the earliest complete volume of these treatises, elaborating on the concept of Maat, which was, as Dr. Karenga explains, the “central moral and spiritual concept in Kemetic society” (81). For example, Amenirenas I defined herself as a Maatian royal, whose concern for the poor and her city defined her moral character (77). Ptah-Hotep also described the search for truth, justice, and caring for the vulnerable as eternal and central moral imperatives. Early on, Kemet society created a large body of moral instruction, including all the individual attributes of Maat, in the Declarations of Virtues. Therefore, it is also important to center an understanding of these values in a recovered Kemet and African consciousness as part of Africana Studies.
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The process of returning to and recovering–Sankofa</em)–African history and culture can be advanced by studying the legacies of Africa’s many extraordinary elders and moral philosophers, including Imhotep and Ptah-Hotep of Kemet. Imhotep was a multitalented advisor to Pharaoh Djoser in the 3rd Dynasty of the Old Kingdom period (c. 2686-2181 B.C.E). As the pharaoh’s master architect and engineer, Imhotep designed the first pyramid, constructed in step style, near Saqqara. Imhotep’s legacy also includes contributions in fields as varied as philosophy, religion, astronomy, and medicine, where his fame as a god or father of medicine increased and was recognized by foreigners, including Greeks, who compared him to their own god of medicine, Asklepios (80). Ptah-Hotep contributed to Kemet’s substantial body of moral literature known as Sebait, or the Books of Wise Instruction. Ptah-Hotep authored the earliest complete volume of these treatises, elaborating on the concept of Maat, which was, as Dr. Karenga explains, the “central moral and spiritual concept in Kemetic society” (81). For example, Amenirenas I defined herself as a Maatian royal, whose concern for the poor and her city defined her moral character (77). Ptah-Hotep also described the search for truth, justice, and caring for the vulnerable as eternal and central moral imperatives. Early on, Kemet society created a large body of moral instruction, including all the individual attributes of Maat, in the Declarations of Virtues. Therefore, it is also important to center an understanding of these values in a recovered Kemet and African consciousness as part of Africana Studies.
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Chapter 3 further illustrates the enormity of Diop’s focus and vehemence with regard to Africa’s claim on/to Ancient Egypt/Kemet and all that this entails. Centuries of racist scholarship worked to systematically erase the African presence in, contribution to, and influence on these formative early cultures and civilizations, which is why Black Studies as a whole seeks “to return and recover” the full history, or the process called “sankofa”. Sankofa is vital to understanding the origins not only of Black history, but of collective human history. Not only must we rebuild the truth of human history, we must then use it to understand how and why the true history was manipulated and realize the far-reaching consequences that it still has to this very day.
Piankhi and Shabaka are two very notable figures in this chapter, both Pharaoh Kings in the Napatan era of Nubian history. They both contributed extremely important historical texts: Piankhi’s “Victory Texts” and Shabaka’s “The Memphite Theology”, both of which served to provide priceless and precious insights into the way these Ancient Kemitic kings and their people aimed to live and serve, stemming much from the concept of “maat”, a moral and spiritual ethos concerned with the welfare of the poor and the city. Further, Shabaka’s “Memphite Theology” serves as the earliest record of divine creation, predating and prefiguring the doctrines espoused by Christianity.
During the Meroitic period of Nubian history, after the Romans conquered Egypt, they began repeatedly to attempt encroachment on Nubian land, prompting Meroites to attack Philae and Aswan. The Romans then retaliated by plundering Napata, finally pushing Meroe and, more specifically, the Queen (Kandake Amenirenas) to a final and decisive response that drove the Romans back to Egypt, thereby reiterating the border between Egypt and Nubia. As a direct result of this tactical response by Kandake Amenirenas, Nubia re-established its independence and sovereignty.
The chapter closes with an especially clarifying breakdown of how the African empire ultimately fell prey to the European invaders. Despite having been superior to Europe in technology and economy for many years, guns and long-distance ships were primarily responsible for a gradual shift in European “advantage”, of which they refused to share (despite having built it on the basis of technology developed and shared originally by Kemet). Over time, 400 years or so, European conquerors were able to disrupt African trade-routes, force consumption of European goods, eliminate most of African productivities, leaving only a scant few that served to satisfy European demand. Further, with the rise and Holocaust of enslavement, the African masses were forced to expend most of their focus and energy on their own security, rather than the productivity they were accustomed to in generations past. This further splintered the great continent into factions of color and class.
This kind of rich contextualized history of struggle emphasizes the importance and effect of Diop’s tenacity in making the deep roots of Kemet civilization canon for all human beings, so we may see and feel the true scope of history, no matter how treacherous. It is a disservice to humanity when we do not perform sankofa, when we continue to rob an entire culture of their contribution and their struggle; it is that struggle that informs the very basis of history and of humanity.
– Julie W.
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“Sankofa” is expressed in the Akan language ”Sankofa ” Literally translated, this means “it is not taboo to go back and fetch what you forgot”.
“Sankofa” teaches us that we must go back to our roots in order to move forward. That is, we should reach back and gather the best of what our past has to teach us, so that we can achieve our full potential as we move forward. Whatever we have lost, forgotten, forgone, or been stripped of can be reclaimed, revived, preserved, and perpetuated.
Visually and symbolically, “Sankofa” is expressed as a mythic bird that flies forward while looking backward with an egg (symbolizing the future) in its mouth. This ties with our motto: “In order to understand our present and ensure our future, we must know our past.”
this book also teach us the important of Black History and how deep is to understand of begin black and know and learn about their culture, life, legacy because for so many years the society were teaching another perspective of being black putting them as the lowest human being.
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I agree Brigida with what you have to say about Sankofa and how it is a way to look back and learn from it. But that does raise a question on how to keep that information from being forgotten.
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Imhotep is one of the most brilliant and intelligent person in this chapter. Not only did he build the first pyramid, he had many titles to his name. He was an architect, a priest, prime minister, teacher, engineer, and a philosopher. He was also deemed the father of medicine, His gifts were so talented that he was later venerated as a God. Another title to add to his accomplishments.
It is sad how Africa fell prey to the European invaders. Yes there were issues prior to the Europeans invading however they were no match for them. Although they were equipped with a superior economy, they unfortunately were no match for the Europeans who had guns to help them with their advantage. Not only did they have guns, they also had ships. They used both to enslaved African men, women, and children. This forced the African community to flee and hide leaving their once enriched developed community abandoned.
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You mention an interesting point and something that I often question. How was Europe able to win a war against Africa when they were a superior civilization, but the reality was that Africa did not seem to have the need to develop militarily to the same point that Europe did. The chapter mentions how Africa did not have Xenophobia like it existed in Europe and like we have today, instead they welcomed and shared their advancements with other civilization. This Is probably the reason why they were not able to win against Europe.
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While, I was reading the chapters I realized that Africans are history. Africans are considered one of the first people to develop human civilization, agriculture, medicine and society, especially in Egypt. They learned that in order for the world to serve them they had to use the resources that they were given and they made the best out of it. The black studies people, were using the concept of “sankofa which means “return and recover to black studies. They went with this concept because Africa fell victim to Europe because Europe, had more technological advances. Europe took over Africa and tried to erase their history.
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Hey Teliah, I agree with your answer. Africans were the first to develop all of these great resources that we use today. They discovered fire, made tools, shelters and has done everything to improve their lives. They studied on their own, cured diseases. Matter of fact, Africans are who have shown the world how to live.
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Hi Teliah,
I appreciated you point of view and could only agree with you. “Africans are History”. I feel like the reading definitely emphasized on the history which at some point was present and then future. Africans are past present and future. They were smart and figured out a away of life. They developed their own ideas, methods, and survival skills. I feel like they continue to move forward continuing to find cures for diseases, discoveries and so many other things.
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this chapter still focuses on seeing the world from an African point of view and discipline. Sankofa means a return and recovery of African history as a core belief of society. It also focuses on the ancient Egyptian civilization and how they were able to create a working society with laws, organization, and ancient medicine. Belong able to analyze their society and their way of living can be used to improve our modern society and how our history can be connected to the past and where we came from. By Sanfoka we can recovery many values and points of view we have lost over time.
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As you mention the Chapter does portray the point of view of Africans. Africa was one of the first continents to develop human societies and it immigrated to different parts of the world. Therefore, we can say that Africa is so important for the human development and history. The chapter moves over the impact that Egypt give the world and how African immigrated to the Nile Valley. Besides the amazing pyramids Egypt left a great legacy for the world, in math, science , culture, religion and art. Yet as you mention it is important to learn and understand the struggle of African culture as well as the history of Egypt. Unfortunately because of the greed of Europeans it caused African societies to declined and even though Africans are important to the development of humanity and how it was also part of great cultural development for the world. Because Europe had the upper hand with technology and guns it caused African to decline and loose everything as fa as their own freedom.
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Hi Neyfi,
I agree on your response on how the chapter focuses on ancient Egyptian civilization. It does go in depth about the common and important concepts such as spiritual, agricultural, and ethical. Egyptians focused mainly on math and science.
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Sankofa means to return and recover which is also used for the ongoing project of Black history recovery for the Black studies field. Sankofa involves returning to the beginning and the most powerful source of the African past and using it as the base or foundation to improve the present and better the future. Sankofa goes beyond a bird reaching backward taking and egg from its back. Because it symbolizes the importance to gain knowledge and recover the history of religion, sociology, politics, economics, creative production, phycology to make a positive progress to the future. In order to address major issues, we need to understand the source of its origin. African American history portrays the struggle of their society and the various oppressive forms of enslavement, racism, and capitalism to its people. Struggle is the main motive force to overcome oppression and to fight for development. It is hard to believe 100% percent in History, because as chapter 3 mentions there were a lot of problems in the study of African History. Because it is hard to discuss their history evenly since African history is so much more complex. The second problem will be that African history is more predominance of oral history. And Thirdly that the winners write the history. Therefore, how sure are we that history is relevance. I believe that we can do research and find more resources to learn and understand history but it still now 100% relevant.
Chapter 3 states that humans originated in Africa and that all the evidence indicates that the Africa continent was the first and the main source of human development. From Africa human immigrated to different parts of the world. Evidence shows that approximately 35,000 years ago modern humans began basics of human civilization and engages in art and religion. We find that ancient that ancient African civilization originates and develops in the Nile Valley civilizations of Nubia, Egypt, and Ethiopia. The official name of Egypt was Kemet, which meant land of Blacks or Black Land. In the old kingdom period who ruled was King Djoser, who build the first pyramid and step -pyramid at Saqqara. With time different kings ruled, like King Khufu who build the Great Pyramid at Giza that contained over 1,300,000 blocks of stones. Besides Egypt’s moral perspectives they also contributed with spirituality and ethics. For example, they believe in resurrection and judgement after death, immortality of the soul, humans as the image of God, the equality of men to women and more. Egypt also contributed to science and math by leaving a valuable legacy in fields of physics, chemistry, zoology, geology, medicine, pharmacology and more. For example, in mathematics, the Moscow papyrus and the rhind papyrus reveal the knowledge of arithmetic, algebra and geometry.
There are several reasons why Africa societies declined, but this is because all societies no matter how successful they are declined for external reasons. But because Europe possessed a better technology, gyns, long distance ships and capitalism it was a great advantage over Africa. This gave power to Europe to conquer other cities, states and empires and to dictate political development in Africa. They also force the abandonment of manufacture of clothing iron-smelting which caused a loss and advantage for them. Europeans refuse to share their technology with Africans despite their request. Which only increased Europeans technology advantage, power, and wealth. This was a main factor when Europe easily could conquer Africa and impose it’s will. With this in mind Europe was able to graft African economies into the capitalism system, disrupt African trade routes and relationships, reduce African economies to an one-product or low number product economy, enslaved persons to satisfy European demands and Force European goods consumption. This was as destructive as enslavement and lastly the small societies were unable to fight back but even after war they continue to be vulnerable to Europeans and their manipulation of supplies.
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Chapter 3 showed how ahead of their time African civilizations were. They had a system of government, complex architecture, irrigation system for agriculture, trading routes, economy belief systems, medicine and writings. Their contributions had a big influence in today’s society, however they are often being hidden and altered to work on the white man’s favor.
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History is defined in the chapter as the fight to win and the documentation of humans in the practice of humanizing the world that is creating it in their own likeness and concern. Africans developed agriculture, medicine and science to protect and flourish themselves. They also built societies and civilizations which is partly responsible to the general humanization of the world and to advancing progress of human history.
Kemet was the legitimate name of Egypt, which was land of the black or the black land. The civilization of ancient Egypt depict the complete flowering of African experience in distant past. Egypt without a doubt was the greatest civilization in relic because no other civilization amount to her attainment. The development and civilization of ancient Egypt lasted for over 5,000 years from roughly 5,000 B.C.E. to 332 B.C.E.
Imhotep who was the master architect build the first pyramid, which was a step pyramid at Saqqara. Imhotep was the the first documented multi-dimensional man. He was also a philosopher, priest, astronomer, prime minister, engineer, teacher and chief physician to the king.
Sebait or Book of Wise Instruction contained Egyptian moral philosophy. However Ptah-hotep is a book in the oldest complete Sebait. Maat which is considered the central moral and spiritual concept in Kemetic society is discussed at length. In the book of Ptah-hotep it tell us that Maat is great and its value is lasting and remained unchanged since the time of the creator.
Sankofa is an Akan word which means “Return and Recover it.” To me this was like seeking knowledge for the past and using it for the future to make things better.
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This chapter has given rise to many different aspects of black people. The first point that really caught my eye was the word Sankofa, which is the Akan word, and this phrase means “return and recover”.Life brings us a number of barriers and these obstacles sometimes begin to define us.However, we must not overlook the fact that the struggle is not here to define us, but to make us better for the future. The same way Sankofa is the phrase that “involves returning to the rich resource of the African past, or history, and using it as a foundation to improve the present and enhance the future. History is an important part of the life of all. We see the importance of history particularly as we talk about black studies. History is not a day, a month or a year made. It takes years and years to become essential.Therefore, Black people have made history by shaping the world in their own image and interest. It has overcomes all those struggles. They struggled, learned, studied on their own to contribute to the world.
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Egypt gives the world some of the most common and important spiritual, agricultural, and ethical concepts. Egypt was independent and created a lot of their own tools in order to complete their country. Egypt has a strong hand in mathematics and science. They also have countless examples of architecture. The Egyptians contributed to both the technique and art of writing using 3 systems; hieroglyphics, hieratics, and demotics.
Imhotep was an architect, prime minister, philosopher, teacher, mathematician, engineer, astronomer, priest, and known as the father of medicine. He was also built the first pyramids. He was the world’s first recorded multidimensional man, who later became a god and equated by the Greeks ( their own god of healing).
Maat is the central morals and spiritual concept in Kemetic society.
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This chapters brings forth many different aspects of black people. The first point that caught my eye was the word “Sankofa”- which is the Akan word, and this term means “Return and Recover”. Life gives us a number of obstacles and many times we let these struggles define us. However, we must not overlook the fact that the struggle is not here to define us but to improve us for the future. The same way, Sankofa is the phrase that “involves returning to the rich resources of the African past, or history, and using it as a foundation to improve the present and enhance the future. As we are very well aware of the fact that History is an important part of all. We see the importance of history particularly as we talk about the black studies. History is not a day, a month or even a year made. It takes years, centuries to make it essential. Therefore, Black people have made history by shaping the world in their own image and interest. They struggled, studied, learned on their own to contribute it to the world.
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I really enjoyed Chapter three and felt like I absorbed so much information that I am still trying to break down. The main idea of this chapter was BLACK people and HISTORY. The development of black people, the ideas of black people, the discoveries of black people, who black people are and how they came to be. What black people will be in the future.
They say history repeats itself. While reading this chapter I definitely felt that to be true.
The first thing that stood out to me was “Sankofa”. Sankofa is “an Akan word which means to return and recover it”. Sankofa involves “returning to the rich resource of the African past, or history, and using it as a foundation to improve the present and enhance the future”.
I feel like we are trying to do this in present day. I feel like Sankofa is very much in full affect. For centuries Africans have been fighting for rights, for power, for respect, for a better chance at living a human life. So many different approaches. I feel like now the “Black lives movement” is just continuing that. So much discovery in history and still its like a revolving door, the same things continue to happen over and over again.
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Like every booming nation they reach a point where they fall and Africa was no exception to this. You see Africa although a great country fell to the the European conquest over a 400 year battle. That was with Europe having the advancement of technology which would lead Africa to its down fall. Europe having greater technology like guns, ships, and capitalisms as a system of production. With Europe having advancement in guns it made it easier to take states by force. With them also having better ships it meant better trade for them and better resources. Capitalism as a system of production didn’t help the Africans either with this the Europeans were able to unite under one figure so to speak and fight the African’s. With the advancements it allowed Europe to basically freeze Africa’s evolution and weaken them to Europe’s advancements. Not only that but Africa also internally took itself out because instead of unifying as a nation they split up into separate villages and empires. They would also fight with each other which didn’t help there citation because the Europeans saw this and took advantage of it to conquer both empire’s. However these empire’s did fight back which is why it took Europe 400 years to conquer Africa. It is important to note some of these battles because in my opinion if Africa was able to fight these battles and win some without the same use technology as the Europeans. Imagine what they could have done if they did advance and got there hands on guns and technology. Africa’s battles stood as a marker in the development of the war and who was in favor of wining the war at the time.
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