Tagged: black history
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Marcus Mosiah Garvey - Look For Me In The Whirlwind
A collection of speeches written by The Hon. Marcus Garvey, and performed by Ron Bobb-Semple.
“God and Nature first made us what we are, and then out of our own created genius we make ourselves what we want to be. Follow always that great law. Let the sky and God be our limit and Eternity our measurement.”
A must listen.
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(by Philippe Bourseiller)
Lalibela Church, Ethiopia
The town of Lalibela in northern Ethiopia is renowned for 12 Christian churches that were hewed out of solid stone some 800 years ago. The most stunning is Bieta Giyorgis, shown here, a massive monolith 40 feet (12 meters) tall, intricately carved and shaped like a cross.
(via yearningforunity)
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![madriche:
Ignatius Sancho (c. 1729 – 14 December 1780) was a composer, actor, and writer. He is the first known Black Briton to vote in a British election. He gained fame in his time as “the extraordinary Negro”, and to 18th century British abolitionists he became a symbol of the humanity of Africans and immorality of the slave trade.[citation needed] The Letters of the Late Ignatius Sancho, an African, edited and published two years after his death, is one of the earliest accounts of African slavery written by a former slave in English.](http://24.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_ly7ns3rkER1qbisnyo1_r1_1280.jpg)
Ignatius Sancho (c. 1729 – 14 December 1780) was a composer, actor, and writer. He is the first known Black Briton to vote in a British election. He gained fame in his time as “the extraordinary Negro”, and to 18th century British abolitionists he became a symbol of the humanity of Africans and immorality of the slave trade.[citation needed] The Letters of the Late Ignatius Sancho, an African, edited and published two years after his death, is one of the earliest accounts of African slavery written by a former slave in English.
(via momocita)
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The African Diety Bes -From Central Africa To Kemet (Egypt).
The God Bes A guardian god. Bes was a foreign god, an import from the land of Nubia. He was jolly, fond of music, and dancing. He was a popular god who was adopted by the middle classes; he was considered a tutelary god of childbirth and, strangely enough, of cosmetics and female adornments. Bes chased away demons of the night and guarded men from dangerous animals. His image was carved on bedpost. He eventually became a protector of the dead and, amazingly, competed with even the refined and magnificent god Osiris for the attentions of men. He was originally the protective deity of the royal house of Egypt, but came to be a popular household deity throughout Egypt. Archeology Findings The oldest known fossil remains, according to Dr. Louis Leakey, were found in the Olduvai Gorge region in Kenya, Uganda and Tanzania. These first “small stature” people were known as the “Twa”, who worshipped the God Bes, a primitive human form of Horus I, being the earliest form of Ptah the God of Gods. The Twa, are modern humans or Homo sapiens sapiens. They are a diminutive Africoid people residing in the rain forests of Central Africa. Related groups live in South and Southeast Asia. We also find this same black God, Ptah, symbolized in the mystery system in Egypt. The Twa are said to have migrated the four thousand one hundred miles of the Nile river, establishing what was later to become the Egyptian civilization.
A Modern Theory of Language Evolution, by Carl J. Becker, 2004, p. 164 & 167: In Tanzania lie Lake Victoria, the Ngorongoro Crater and the Olduvai Gorge where the oldest known remains of the human species have been found. The north-south line of lakes, Albert, Ruranzige, Kivu, and Tanganyika, make the eastern edge of the Ituri Forest in Congo. The Efe Pygmies who live on the Ituri Forest called the Towering massif of Ruwenzori Baba Tiba, the Mountains of the Moon. In Efe theology the first man ascended to the heavens after serving as a benevolent governor of the primordial Pygmy nation. He then established residence on the moon where he still assists God by serving as the angel-of-the-moon. For tropical Black Africa the moon was, and still is, the favorite object of veneration, not the sun. Egyptian texts from around 2500 BC refer to the Pygmies as little men from the land of trees and spirits at the foot of the Mountains of the Moon. Egyptian king Nefrikare sent an expedition into central Africa and it returned with a dancing dwarf known as Akka. In the pyramid text of the sixth-dynasty monarch Pepi I it is declared that, “He who is between the thighs of Nut is the Pygmy who danceth like the god and who pleaseth the heart of the god before his great throne.” Nut was the goddess of heaven and the mother of Osiris. This Pygmy was called Bes. Page 167: We see, therefore, that it is physiology and genetics that tell us where our earliest ancestors came from; paleontology can only tell us where they went. Geneticist Douglas Wallace believes that Homo sapiens sapiens is descended from the ancestors of Baka Bambuke pygmies. Steven M. Stanley a paleontologist at Johns Hopkins supposes that hominids were forced out of the jungle environment by the cooler and drier climate of Earth by 2.5 millions years ago. Lucy’s group was probably part of this group. This would have been an Australopithecine version of the Twa Pygmies who live in the same general area around Lake Kivu on the eastern side of the Mountains of the Moon. The Twa have acclimated to life outside the Ituri Forest and are smiths, potters, and jack-of-all trades.
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The Akka
That this race is an exceedingly ancient one is proved by the fact that Egyptologist Marriette Bey has discovered on a tomb of the ancient Empire of Egypt a figure of a dwarf with the name Akka inscribed by it.
Another Reference about the Twa people: Sako Ma: A Look at the Sacred Monkey Totem, By Matomah Alesha, Published 2004, Matam Press, pp. 35-36
Our oldest known human ancestor is a woman named Lucy. Her real name is unknown, but this is the name given to her by the archaeological team of Donald Johanson that uncovered her remains. The name Lucy is inspired by the Beetle’s song, Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds, which was heard while on an expedition. Lucy is dated to be, at least, 3.5 million years old. She is categorized as a species of Australopithecus afarensi. Her partial skeleton about the size of a chimpanzee was discovered in 1975. She has become known as one of the first Eves inhabiting ancient East Africa, although even still older fossils are being unearthed that push the date of the our original ancestor back even farther. Within the last 70 years, over 900 skeletons of prehominids are one hominid all dated at more then 1,000,000 years have been unearthed in Africa. ***** It is speculated that she was part of a clan, known variously in ancient and modern times as the Twa, Hottentot, Khoikhoi, San, Khmer, Bushmen, and Negrillos…The aboriginal peoples are found all over the world and form the basis of human culture…The aboriginal Twa are characterized by black to yellow skin, tightly curled hair (peppercorn), steatopygea (fat deposits in the rear-end) of some degree in women and men, full lips, elongated skull and a broad nose. They are short in stature and represent the mystical and mysterious short people documented in folklore and legend. The San, who are an extension of the Twa ancestors presently, live in the Kalahari Desert. The Twa descendants, however, live in rainforests and other remote areas around the world removed from modernization. This seed society gave birth to humanity both genetically and culturally.
On a side note: In Europe the Island Ibiza’s oldest name is Ibosim. Which translated from Punic language this word means “Island of Bes”.
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KNOW YOUR HISTORY
Objects from Jamaica’s Past
Jamaica has a rich history, and as we celebrate 50 years of Independence, we take a look back at how we got here. With the kind assistance of the Institute of Jamaica, ‘Objects from our Past’ the Gleaner will highlight a total of 50 objects which are part of the Institute of Jamaica’s collection. Here they feature two of these Objects from our Past.
Don’t forget to check our sister blog The Black Me
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Edmonia Lewis (1845-1909) was an African American and Native American sculptor that would find success despite discrimination for her race and gender. She was an art student at Oberlin College and would excel in her courses but would later drop out after being accused of theft and poisoning two classmates; this led to a mob beating her up severely, only to have her acquitted of any wrong doing at trial. She would later move to Boston to further her education in sculpting. Her big break would come in 1864 with a bust she made of Colonel Robert Gould Shaw being widely celebrated and selling many copies; this would supply her with enough money to move to Rome. She would spend most of her adult career in Italy and became a highly paid and internationally respected sculptor.Two of her most notable works are: Forever Free and The Death of Cleopatra.
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Colonel Carmens Amelia Robles, Afro Mexican Woman Leader in the Mexican Revolution
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Menelik II, Negus of Ethiopia
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Harry Belafonte visiting The Supremes, Diana Ross, Florence Ballard and Mary Wilson, backstage at the Greek Theater in Los Angeles in August 1965. Photo: Bettman/Corbis
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How-I-View-Africa.
Pakistan has the largest number of people of African descent in South Asia. It has been estimated that at least a quarter of the total population living on the Makran coast are of African ancestry—that is, at least 250,000 men and women can claim East African descent on the southern coast of Pakistan and in the easternmost part of southern Iran. In Pakistan, African descendants are called Sheedi (Siddi.) Many are also called Makrani, whether or not they live in Makran.
Emphasis mine!
I recall being surprised when I learnt of this.
You can read more on the African Diaspora in South Asia here (more photos at the link too, I believe the image above came from there).
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Today marks the passing of Ivan Van Sertima on May 25th 2009.
“We have come to reclaim the house of history. We are dedicated to the revision of the role of the African in the world’s great civilizations, the contribution of Africa to the achievement of man in the arts and sciences. We shall emphasize what Africa has given to the world, not what it has lost.”
With absolute certainty it can stated that, due to his consistent and unrelenting scholarship during his lifetime in the rewriting of African history and the reconstruction of the African’s place in world history, particularly in the field of the African presence in ancient America, Ivan Van Sertima has cemented his position as one of our greatest scholars. He has was one of the scholars at the forefront of fighting to place African history in a new light. Simply put, Van Sertima’s clarion call has been: “We shall follow the trail of the African in Europe, in Asia, and in every corner of the New World, seeking to set the record straight.
Ivan Van Sertima dared theorize ancient Egyptians were black and Africans reached America before Europeans did. To many, those simple assertions were radical splendid notions.However they were notions that went on to inspire a generation of scholars.
Ivan Van Sertima, a Highland Park resident taught at Rutgers University’s Africana Studies department for more than 30 years, died May 25 2009 of natural causes. He was 74.
During his life, the crusader of African culture wrote 15 books, lectured at more than 100 universities, and spoke before Congress about his theories of pre-Columbian America.
An expert on African authors, he served on the Nobel Prize committee from 1976 to 1980 to nominate candidates for the literature prize. During that period, he also founded the Journal of African Civilization, in 1979.
His best-seller, “They Came Before Columbus” (1977), is now in its 29th edition. Critics said his theories were thin on facts, but supporters said his presentation of history was as rooted in fact as mainstream versions of history.
Clement Price, professor of history and director of the Rutgers Institute on Ethnicity, Culture, and the Modern Experience, called the book seminal.
“It dared to challenge one of the largest mythologies of Western civilization: Africans’ incapability to make contributions in the area of science, discovery, global migration,” he said.
The book inspired Africa scholars worldwide, people “who wanted to know what smart black scholars (were) thinking about,” Price said. “It’s the book on everybody’s bookshelf.”
Rutgers history professor Norman Markowitz said mainstream historians are “rewarded and praised, not challenged, because what they say is what those with wealth and power want to hear — which one could never say about Ivan.”
Toni Morrison, the Nobel Prize-winning fiction writer, who was the editor at Random House in the 1970s who insisted the company print “They Came Before Columbus,” Price said. ‘Van Sertima, defended his ideas before the Smithsonian Institution in 1994.’
We dare you to become great men and women like Dr Sertima, We dare you to continue his work, empower yourself and inspire generations to come.
(via marquirayshel)
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African traditions, hoodoo and their influence on freedom movements
Q: What is the African-American tradition called “hoodoo,” and what role did magic play in the lives of Frederick Douglass, Marcus Garvey and other black leaders?Mitch: The entire idea of Africa as a cradle of world civilization – today very popular, but was once very marginal – This idea began to enter the American mindset through the migration of African magical and esoteric ideas to the New World. By the early 20th century, the African-American magical system called hoodoo (often confused with the related but very different Afro-Caribbean religion of Voodoo) produced a literature and a spiritual counter-culture that challenged the West’s misconception that Africa lacked a deep mythological past. African traditions later gained a voice in America through the work of figures like Marcus Garvey and Alex Haley. But it was the magical system of hoodoo that first awakened the nation, or at least parts of it, to African culture. In his classic memoirs, the abolitionist Frederick Douglass described the assistance he received from a trusted “root worker” – or a hoodoo medicine man – when Douglass was a teenaged slave. This relationship has been largely overlooked, with many readers or critics probably unaware of what Douglass was even describing when he referenced “magic roots.” A few generations later, Marcus Garvey not only helped call attention to African religious and cultural traditions but himself embraced American “mind power” metaphysics – or what we sometimes call “the power of positive thinking” – as a means to black political liberation. Mind-power metaphysics formed an unseen pillar of Garvey’s philosophy, and came to influence the Nation of Islam and other Black nationalist groups. This is one of the many ways in which political and magical movements intersected in America.
Reference: Horowitz, M (2009) Occult America: The Secret History of How Mysticism Shaped Our Nation, Bantam. ISBN-10: 0553806750
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500 YEARS LATER Part 1 of 2
500 Years Later, a compelling compilation of testimonies, voices and opinions gathered around five continents, that explores the psycho cultural effects of slavery and colonialism in the African Diaspora. The film won 4 international awards including; Best Documentary at the Pan African (Los Angeles) and Bridgetown (Barbados) Film Festivals; Best Film at the International Black Cinema (Berlin) Film Festival; and Best International Documentary at the Harlem (New York) International Film Festival.
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An early 1950s article and pictorial featuring Arthur Kennedy and family. Arthur Kennedy was one of the first successful African-American speedboat racers.
Read more about Kennedy HERE.
(via bvikkivintage)
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Happy Independence Day to all Eritreans everywhere!
Today, May 23rd, marks the 21st celebration since the East African nation of Eritrea gained its full independence from Ethiopia, after having previously been colonized by Italy in 1885 - who they gained independence from in 1941, and England - who they gained independence from in 1951. Before the Italian occupation of what is now modern-day Eritrea, the Ottoman Empire maintained control of over much of this territory between 1557–1885.
Eritrean history is home to some of the oldest civilizations on the continent. Together with northern Somalia, Djibouti, and the Red Sea coast of Sudan, Eritrea is considered the most likely location of the land known to the ancient Egyptiansas Punt (or “Ta Netjeru,” meaning god’s land), whose first mention dates to the 25th century BC. The ancient Puntites were a nation of people that had close relations with Pharaonic Egypt during the times of Pharaoh Sahure and Queen Hatshepsut.
Around the 8th century BC, a kingdom known as D’mt was established in Eritrea and northern Ethiopia, with its capital at Yeha in northern Ethiopia. Its successor, the Kingdom of Aksum, emerged around the 1st century BC or 1st century AD and grew to be, according to the Persian philosopher Mani described Axum as one of the four greatest civilizations in the world, along withChina, Persia, and Rome.
![madriche:
Ignatius Sancho (c. 1729 – 14 December 1780) was a composer, actor, and writer. He is the first known Black Briton to vote in a British election. He gained fame in his time as “the extraordinary Negro”, and to 18th century British abolitionists he became a symbol of the humanity of Africans and immorality of the slave trade.[citation needed] The Letters of the Late Ignatius Sancho, an African, edited and published two years after his death, is one of the earliest accounts of African slavery written by a former slave in English.](http://25.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_ly7ns3rkER1qbisnyo1_r1_500.jpg)
Elsewhere