A VISUALLY INTERESTING PRESENTATION
Author and researcher Dante Fortson wrote in the Dedication to this 2019 book, “This book is dedicated to every black person that has ever been told that there’s no proof that Israel was black or that we’re pushing a race-based agenda based on misinterpreting scripture. The overwhelming evidence proves that not only are we 100% correct in our reading of scripture, but all over the world, non black people worshiped, and in some cases still worship a black Christ. It is my sincere belief that by coupling physical evidence with scripture, that we will be able to wake up many of our brothers and sisters that are still lost in the lie of Eurocentric Christianity and the image of a European Jesus. While I personally do not teach race based salvation, the truth about who is who in scripture is important when it comes to interpretation of scripture. I pray that this book becomes a go-to resource in your fight for the truth.”
He explains, “When I started this journey in 2014, it was originally to discredit the belief that black people in America were the true Israelites of the Bible. At the time I was still caught up in the European deception that Israel was in the land, and many of the prophecies had been fulfilled. It was through researching the lineage of Ham that I came to believe that not only was Israel black, but that Israel had been intentionally targeted and brought to America during the Transatlantic Slave Trade… Understanding who are as a people, why we were targeted for slavery, and why a loving God would allow this to happen to black people has all been made clear through understanding the scriptures as intended. I hope that the evidence presented in this book gives you the faith and boldness to speak up for the truth about scripture… and the truth is that the Most High chose us over every nation, chose our ancestors to write a message from HIM to us, and promises to return to save us from our current oppression again.” (Pg. 4)
He quotes, “While it was regarded as merely a myth for many years… something striking occurred in the year 880 C.E. that left an imprint on Jewish consciousness for centuries to come. One day, a small, very dark-skinned Jew named Eldad showed up in the Jewish community of Kairouan, in modern-day Tunisia, claiming to be descended from the Tribe of Dan. He related fascinating accounts of the life and customs of this majority of the Jewish people that had disappeared. Of particular interest was the knowledge he claimed to have of early religious law and the archaic Hebrew that he spoke. From this point onward, the existence of the 10 Lost Tribes was regarded as a fact, as something whose validity could be tested in reality. Where do the Lost tribes reside? Perhaps in Central Asia or equatorial Africa?” [Haaretz, September 4, 2013] (Pg. 25-26)
He states, “When we lay out the historical evidence, it is undeniable that there has been a massive cover up of history. One of the most impressive facts about this journey is that the powers that [we] have been able to hide much of it without hiding it at all. It’s written down in the Bible, sung in songs, and even referenced continuously without many of us even realizing it.” (Pg. 39)
Preceding a section of nearly 30 pages of full-color images, he explains, “In addition to all of the evidence of black Israelites in the Bible, there is even more evidence that many of the people and cultures depicted in scripture were black as well. Unfortunately, due to the white washing of history and culture by Europeans, the depiction of mostly Europeans playing historical characters, and the unwillingness of black people to openly speak out against the deception, many people find these claims unbelievable. However, the hard evidence is impossible to deny. The following images show various cultures and individuals who have historically been depicted as white, but the evidence shows that they were indeed black. Many of these images are currently held in various museum all over the world.” (Pg. 63)
This book is EXCELLENT in terms of its “visual” presentation; but readers wanting to go deeper into subject will need to study books that have more TEXTUAL material, and fewer illustrations. (Dante Fortson has several other books along these lines; or consider Walter Arthur McCray ‘The Black Presence in the Bible’; Randolph Jackson ‘Black People in the Bible’; James Smith ‘Blacks in the Bible,’ etc.)