They Came Before Columbus: The African Presence in Ancient America“A landmark . . . brilliantly [demonstrates] has that there is far more to black history than the slave trade.”—John A. Williams They Came Before Columbus reveals a compelling, dramatic, and superbly detailed documentation of the presence and legacy of Africans in ancient America. Examining navigation and shipbuilding; cultural analogies between Native Americans and Africans; the transportation of plants, animals, and textiles between the continents; and the diaries, journals, and oral accounts of the explorers themselves, Ivan Van Sertima builds a pyramid of evidence to support his claim of an African presence in the New World centuries before Columbus. Combining impressive scholarship with a novelist’s gift for storytelling, Van Sertima re-creates some of the most powerful scenes of human history: the launching of the great ships of Mali in 1310 (two hundred master boats and two hundred supply boats), the sea expedition of the Mandingo king in 1311, and many others. In They Came Before Columbus, we see clearly the unmistakable face and handprint of black Africans in pre-Columbian America, and their overwhelming impact on the civilizations they encountered. |
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A. J. Arkell Abubakari the Second Alexander von Wuthenau ancient Egypt ancient Egyptians appear Arab archaeological Arkell Asia Assyrians Atlantic banana beard bird black kings boats burial century circa civilization coast Columbian Columbus complex cotton cultivated culture discovery Don Juan drift early East European evidence gold gourd graves Guinea Heyerdahl Ibid Idem influence Irwin islands kings of Kush known Kush La Venta land later Leo Wiener London maize Mali Mandingo medieval Mediterranean Mexican Mexico Monte Albán names Negro Negro-African Negroid Negroid figures Negroid heads Nile North Nubian ocean Old World Olmec origin Pacific period Peru pharaohs Phoenicians pipes plant PLATE pochteca Portuguese pre-Columbian priests pyramid Quetzalcoatl racial ritual royal sail Schwerin seeds serpent ships smoking sorghum South America southern Spanish species Sudan Taharka Thacher Thor Heyerdahl tion tobacco trade Tres Zapotes tribes tubbaq Venta voyage West Africa West African word York