Christopher Columbus & African Holocaust
Reflecting on chapters 4,5,8, and 9 the first thing I’m taking away from this is that the Europeans
changed the “tradition” to slavery. Slaves were respected and considered human beings in the early times,
there were laws to protect the relationship between an owner and their slave to maintain a respectable
enough environment. The difference between the way slavery was handled in the early ages and how the
Europeans went about it was the dehumanization and extremely cruel treatment they gave the slaves. In
early ages when people thought of slaves they were people who started poor but could build just as much
or more than their owners. But the Europeans have no respect for Africans; the goal of this new system
was to deprive a whole people of their identity, culture, and dignity; it was not simply about work. It is
about keeping black people at a disadvantage in America to use, humiliate, and strip them of their identity
for the benefit of the white man. In order to keep control, a system of fear was imposed, families were
split up, and cultural customs were eradicated. The institutional racism and economic exploitation that
would continue long after slavery was officially abolished were made possible by this change in the
institution of slavery.
Africa is a fair place where they don’t have to fight for land or food because the governing system
is fair for everyone.When the Europeans saw how well put together their nation was and how well the
Africans treated them Europeans couldn’t find a valid reason for terrorizing Africa and Aricans. They
began trying to justify all the vile things they do to us with racism, oppressioning black people for their
own good. Africans were portrayed in their racist ideologies as inferior, undeserving of self-government,
and in need of European rule to "rescue" them from their alleged primitivism. The Europeans were invited
in, overstayed their welcome, and took over destroying many lives. These early attempts to alter Africa's
past and dehumanize its people are the root cause of the structural oppression, economic
disenfranchisement, and racial inequality that still exist today. By exploiting Africa and depriving Black
people of their legitimate history, Europeans made sure that their power would last long after slavery and
colonization ended. Global power systems, economic inequality, and the contemporary world's perception
of Africa and its people are all still influenced by this racist legacy.
Clarke's suggestion that the slave trade was a worldwide plan for European dominance instead of
just an economic system is one of the chapter's most important takeaways. African labor generated wealth
that fueled the Industrial Revolution and economic growth in Europe and the Americas, laying the
groundwork for Western economies. Africa was left unstable and open to more exploitation after being
deprived of its people, resources, and cultural independence. According to Clarke, this was not an
accident; instead, it was a conscious attempt to degrade Africa so that it would be unable to become a
rival power on the international scene. History is written to benefit American people today and then,
leaving out a lot of the vulgar detail and extent that they really carried out slavery. The assumption that
Africans have always been subordinate to Europeans is reinforced by the historical narratives, which
ignore or minimize Africa's achievements. Clarke reveals how historical narratives have historically
glorified individuals such as Christopher Columbus while neglecting the devastation they inflicted. For
example, Columbus is frequently given credit for "discovering" the Americas, but the exploitation,
slavery, and genocide that followed his explorations are downplayed.
Even slavery legally ended it never actually ended, European countries found new ways of
exploiting Africa and her inhabitants. The next phase of exploitation was colonialism, in which foreign
forces ruled over African countries, deprived them of their natural resources, and pushed them into
European economic systems. Because African economies were set up to suit European interests rather
than those of their own people, colonial authority further increased Africa's reliance on Europe.
Clarke emphasizes that education is the key to African liberation—an education based on African
history, culture, and philosophy, not the Eurocentric education imposed by colonial and Western
institutions. He encourages Africans to take back their heritage, rediscover who they are, and unite to
combat structural injustice. According to Clarke, Africans won't be truly independent until they take
charge of their own political systems, resources, and narratives instead of depending on approval from the
West. He expresses importance of understanding history as a means of empowerment. He contends that
the consequences of colonialism and slavery are not merely past events but rather persistent realities that
influence African people's current political and economic conflicts. Africans can move toward
self-determination and true liberation by acknowledging how European imperialism shaped African
history, upheld power through neocolonialism, and now oppresses Black people globally.