In the words of Malcolm X, “Our history did not begin with slavery.”
However, when the story of black people is told in America, it usually starts with slavery.
Beginning the history of black people with slavery implies there were no accomplishments in Africa worth learning about before the slave trade.
This discredits the monuments that were planned and built before European influence, such as the pyramids and sphinxes in Eygpt, the Nigerian wall of Sungbo’s Eredo and the Great Zimbabwe city ruins.
Growing up, I was hardly educated on the contribution that black people made to society.
At one time, the extent of my knowledge only consisted of what was covered during Black History Month and, even then, a majority of black history was not properly represented.
It was not until I arrived at college that I learned the lessons that are absent from many curriculums.
I took a class that specialized in the history of race through the Department of African American and African Diaspora Studies.
One of the topics included the perception of African people by Europeans when they first arrived in Africa, and how the image of uncivilized savages was used as a tool to justify the slave trade.
We are taught that before slavery Africa was full of people who needed to be exposed to religion and European customs.
In truth, there were African religions, such as Yoruba, long before imperialism. Ethiopia is the second-oldest Christian nation.
We were deprived of knowledge about the communities and empires throughout the continent that were rich in culture.
The Kingdom of Nri was an empire centered in pre-colonial West Africa that has been compared to European cities such as Rome.
The Kingdom of Mali was an empire in Northern Africa that controlled the salt trade in the area.
Its king, Mansa Musa, was known for the success of the empire, making it one of the largest in the world, according to the reference center Blackpast.org.
Many people argue there should not be a Black History Month.
If black history were taught throughout the year, then that argument would be relevant.
Until black history is incorporated into the curriculum, there will always be a need for Black History Month.
There are 54 countries in Africa, all with distinct cultures that existed before slavery. Learning about these cultures in Africa is just as important as learning about slavery and the Civil Rights Movement.
Understanding the history before slavery showcases the devastation that slavery caused.
Condensing the history of all the countries in Africa to one month is not a realistic approach to expanding the awareness of black history.
grrkelly@indiana.edu
@gracedwithtruth
