African-American History

Most people think our history started here in America through slavery, it didn't. Our history started in Africa with the most influential kings and queens of all time. Nefertiti being one that was a warrior as well as a mother and wife to powerful Pharoah. We had our summer games in the oldest colliseum in Timbuktu before the Greeks knew about summer games. We as Africans taught the Greeks about those games. We as African women, especially from Kemet(modern day Egypt), taught the Greeks Math, Algebra, Trigonometry, and Calculus. What we did in Africa, we contribute all over the world. We cultivated chocolate and coffee and exported them all over the world, including Mexico, Central and South America. When we were brought to America, we also brought sweet potatoes, watermelon, okra, yams, potatoes, especially the purple potatoes. Our history in Africa spans from Northern to Southern Africa. We had tribes that fought for our freedom like the Zulu tribe that fought hard to keep Europeans from settling in South Africa. Nubia(modern day Sudan) and Kemet were twin sister cities that shared kingdoms. Ethiopia was also part of the Northern kingdoms of Kemet and Nubia. We brought to America our relationship to Jesus Christ. Some people believe that the Europeans converted us to Christianity-they didn't! We brought our love for dance, including Praise Dancing. A method of dance we do to praise God. You will see this type of dancing in church. Popping, Crumping, and Break Dancing, to name a few, all came from Africa. They were done for tribal reasons as well as religious reasons. People here in America are so influenced by African culture, that they imitate what they see and hear us do from dancing to cooking like us. Hair braiding and corn rolls have a wonderful history in Africa. It told what tribe and social status that individual came from depending on how the hair was braided and styled. When in America, braid styles and corn rolls was done to send messages and used as maps to let other slaves know where to go when escaping from the plantations. Rap music started in Africa. It was called Rhetoric, where they added rhythm and rhymed with the beat of the drums. Here in America, Countee Cullen created rap through the poems he wrote and also added rhythm and melodies to his. This African-American was the first to be called the Godfather of Rap Music. Because of the popularity of A'Capella, this method of "Rap" music did not pick up until the '70's and '80's and ran like wild fire in the '90's. It continues to this day.