Recently I re-watched Africa's Great Civilizations, a 2017 PBS production hosted by Harvard historian Henry Louis Gates, Jr.  I consider this six-hour series a history worth watching, for at least three reasons.

First, it reminds us that if evolution is true, it is often contended that we are all descended from people who lived in Africa.  Second, it tells us that, throughout its vast history, Africa has raised up many worthy and proud civilizations.  Third, it confirms that slavery existed in Africa long before Columbus sailed to America.

I have been an educator all my working life.  My natural distrust of one-size-fits-all fads like Common Core makes me reluctant to recommend a video that "all Americans should watch."

However, I know from long experience that too many Americans think Africa — except for Egypt — was always a backward jungle.  And I know, from observing what is happening in our schools and in our culture, that too many other Americans think slavery began in the United States and is an original sin from which we can never recover.  This series could help to correct those widespread and consequential (but mistaken) beliefs.

Yes, Henry Louis Gates, Jr. was a guest at Obama's "Beer Summit" back in 2009.  He is also the host of Finding Your Roots, a series using genealogical research and genetics to discover the family history of famous Americans.

In Africa's Great Civilizations, Gates points out that, according to geneticists, we are all descended from a "Mitochondrial Eve" who lived in Africa around 200,000 years ago.  She was not necessarily the "first woman"; Wikipedia calls her the "the most recent woman from whom all living humans descend in a direct female line."  So we are all related.  We are family.  Those who don't believe in evolution might prefer the Bible's good news that we are all children of God.  Dear divided America, consider that big picture.

Were there really brilliant nations on what some see as the "dark continent"?  Yes, there were many.

Professor Gates does a tremendous job of exploring such cultured kingdoms as Nubia, Kush, Ethiopia, Ghana, Kongo, and Great Zimbabwe.  These societies produced great art and architecture, including bronze sculptures, ivory carvings, ceramics, and textiles.  They developed fantastic wealth.  In addition to digging gold, copper, and diamonds out of the ground, Africans farmed; herded cattle; and traded with Europe, Arabia, India, and China.  Africa's great civilizations were led by formidable rulers, valued deep learning, and contributed to profound religions.

These three gems might catch your eye: Mansa Musa, the emperor of Mali, was one of the richest men who ever lived.  He handed out tons of gold on his long pilgrimage to Mecca.  According to legend, King Solomon and the queen of Sheba had a son who brought the Ark of the Covenant from Jerusalem to Ethiopia.  Shaka Zulu, the most famous African warrior, developed military tactics and weapons and could send 50,000 disciplined, mobile fighters into a battle.

Image: Henry Louis Gates, Jr. by Jon Irons.  CC BY 2.0.

Lastly, this video history reminds us that slavery existed in Africa (and indeed all over the world) for thousands of years.  It was not invented in Virginia.  Almost every kingdom on this planet, beginning with ancient Sumer, permitted slavery.

How did an African man, woman, or child become a slave?  As on other continents, rulers in Africa fought their neighbors, and the winners enslaved those unfortunate people whom they conquered.  Other individuals became slaves due to unpaid debts.  Sad to say, some parents sold their own children in exchange for money, food, or favors.

After 1492, demand for cheap labor arose in the New World on sugar, rice, tobacco, and cotton plantations, and in silver mines.  Many African rulers sold their Black slaves to Arabs and to Europeans, who shipped them across the Atlantic.  Thus, Blacks, Whites, and Arabs all made a profit by trading in human flesh, and all shared in that hideous sin.  As Professor Gates said, "the reason that we have Africans in the New World is because the African elite captured and sold Africans to Europeans."

The British, for all their white supremacist sins, were the first major nation to ban slavery (in 1833).  We Americans followed in 1865, at the cost of 600,000 mostly white lives.  African Mauritania was the last country in the world to outlaw slavery (in 1981).  Today, although slavery is illegal everywhere, it still exists in several forms such as forced labor, forced marriage, and forced prostitution.  A low guesstimate says 10 million slaves are currently exploited in countries all over the world.

Two quick side points: First, as you might know, the English word "slave" comes from the word "Slav," as in the Slavic people.  Second, though I love the Bible, which one of its commandments forbade slavery?

I truly believe that all Americans would profit by watching (with an open mind) Africa's Great Civilizations.  It illustrates the history (sometimes proud and sometimes painful) of one branch of our human family.  It might even have something to teach a wise, knowledgeable person like you.

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