AMISTAD

We watched the movie Amistad in class. Although flawed in some ways it does demonstrate many of the concepts discussed in class when dealing with pre-European African culture and the Atlantic Slave trade. This is vital to the class as we try to visualize why and how Africans initially got to the West and what happened when they arrived.

Systemic Racism

What is Systemic Racism?
It is a society where the Institution itself is based and historically built on the tenants of inequality based on Race. It is a system where one group or groups are institutionally marginalized, dehumanized, and discriminated against for the advancement of another.
I believe that the only way to fight systemic racism is to know and understand the system itself. To master the game. As one of my former coaches once told my with mastery comes recklessness.

Ancient Africa and the Slave trade

This class has looked and completed projects about Ancient Africa. The common theme amongst all of the presentations was that Africans pre-Europe were (compared to many other parts of the world) advanced. They exhibited advanced culture, architecture, smelting of metals, science, education, warfare, religion and other aspects of civilization. 

We have also studied the results of  history. That result being us. We've listed some of the modern characteristics of Black people. The ones you generated and are hung at the back of the room. They don't correspond with the characteristics of ancient Africans. How then can one rationalize the difference. How and when did the change occur? When did the switch get flipped? What happen to change the African? What process robbed the African of Africa?

Rise of Racism

Something I'm going to use to discuss the rise of racism in the United States and Canada. Please check it out:

Rise of Racism