Africa's Gift to America

by J.A. Rogers

A classic work of black study that shines a light on the accomplishments of African people within Western history--from the groundbreaking journalist.

Originally published in 1959 and revised and expanded in 1989, this book asserts that Africans had contributed more to the world than was previously acknowledged. Historian Joel Augustus Rogers devoted a significant amount of his professional life to unearthing facts about people of African ancestry. He intended these findings to be a refutation of contemporary racist beliefs about the inferiority of blacks. Rogers asserted that the color of skin did not determine intellectual genius, and he publicized the great black civilizations that had flourished in Africa during antiquity. According to Rogers, many ancient African civilizations had been primal molders of Western civilization and culture.

Genres: Nonfiction, History, Anti Racist, Race, American History, Politics

272 pages, Paperback

First published June 1, 1961

About the author

Librarian Note: There is more than one author by this name in the Goodreads data base.

Joel Augustus Rogers was a Jamaican-American author, journalist, and historian who contributed to the history of Africa and the African diaspora, especially the history of African Americans in the United States. His research spanned the academic fields of history, sociology and anthropology. He challenged prevailing ideas about race, demonstrated the connections between civilizations, and traced African achievements. He was one of the greatest popularizers of African history in the 20th century.

Reviews

[Peter Henriques · Rating 4 out of 5]

No disrespect but what haven't the Blackman accomplished? We still live in a world were teachers & scholars still do not give the original man the respect that he or she truly deserve. The sad part about this is that when our children go to school they are still being taught that there history began in slavery or Christopher columbus discovered America. Part of progress is learning how to except the truth regardless of who's tongue it is on.

[Chris Carlisle · Rating 5 out of 5]

A great book with many rare illustrations (lithographs, engravings, drawings, and photographs) that accompanied the historical information. I actually could not put the book down. It has glossy pages and is quite a gem of a find. It takes you through pretty much every major historical point in the African American experience in America from the 1600s-the early 20th century. I learned a lot of different things in this book that I don't think I would have otherwise learned. I learned that white people were enslaved with black people when they first came to America in the 1600s, and that a major part of the slave trade was molasses surprisingly. There are many biography throughout the book on people you may not have even heard of, like Blind Tom Wiggins, the mental calculator Thomas Fuller, and many other explorers and historical figures. You also learn more about black soldiers in major US Wars. Joel Augustus Rogers was one of the greatest historians of all time. The book just has so much going for it including illustrations on every page and in depth information. Please do yourselves a favor and give it a read.

[Mr S Jarvis · Rating 4 out of 5]

On the whole, this was a really good book. I loved the historical information and good understanding of Abraham Lincoln’s emancipation documentation. Lincoln use of this as an opportunity to bring back people into the war, at a time when the north was I trouble. Overall a good addition to complete the set..

[Terry · Rating 5 out of 5]

Revelation

Stark difference in what is missing about Black/African history in Eurocentric academic narrative and the revelation accounted in this work (of freedom!).