Review of Christopher Columbus and the Afrikan Holocaust: Slavery and the Rise of European Capitalism Part one

This is the first of at least a twelve month series of the books I will be reading as part of my New Year's Resolution. Although, I already told you; my resolution is as follows. Read twelve books that I have started previously. These are books laying around the house that I have had good intention on reading, but never found the time during my university days to sit and read a real book.

This will be extremely informal just like the blog. I have down enough academic writing to make my eyes bleed. However, I want to share this journey with you to encourage you to read and expand your world by way of literature. I have narrow interest so most of the books will be about history in general, issues relating to the African Diaspora, religion, and self improvement. There will be a few wild cards, but do not expect many. 

Overview

Christopher Columbus and Afrikan Holocaust: Slavery and the Rise of European Capitalism is authored by John Henrik Clarke. The book contains 11 chapters and approximately 123 pages, which makes it a quick and easy read. The subject of this book is to first examine what was precipitating issues that made the slave trade possible, both in Europe and in Africa. Although brief, an examination of how the events that occurred in Europe and Africa in the 14th and 15 century, lead to Europe's rise and Africa's demise.

The Nature of the Gathering Storm

This three page chapter sets the tone of the book. John H. Clarke prepares us for the journey ahead by taking us back to the Europe of the Middle Ages. During that time, the inhabitants of the land were nearly destroyed. The plague, the Crusades, and internal turmoil were all ripping the area apart. So the question is risen how could a people in such distress conquer and annihilate so many people. This is the most important point of the book, and one of the most powerful quotes,
"there weren't enough soldiers in Europe to take the continent of Africa, India, the Caribbean Islans, and both South and North America...the greatest achievement of the Europeans was the conquest of the mind of their victims."
Clarke outlines four ways this mental deception took place.

1. The myth of a people in darkness waiting for another people to bring them light. I have to admit this one knocked my socks off. My introduction to Christianity was by racists, who had always painted the portrait of the heroic missionary going to save the savage brown beast. Whether we are comfortable admitting it, that perception follows you all the days of your life. I have always justified slavery because it saved us from a sinner's hell. You are taught to never even question what happened because we are better off because of it.
2. The myth of a people without a legitimate god. I can see the ramifications from the Ivory Coast to the shores of Honolulu how the religion was used to strip peoples of their identity and sense of self worth. And how religion was raised as a murderous banner to hide behind while raping and pillaging land after land and people after people. I do not believe that we left the true God back on the shores of the West African coast, but I do believe we lost our ability to see God through our own eyes and own history.
3. The myth of the primitive and aborigine. Different does not mean inferior. The adobe houses made of mud in the America southwest or the tree house of the tribes of the South American people did not make them savage, it meant they were more resourceful and had a respectful way to live in harmony with nature.
4. The myth of the invader and the conqueror as a civilizer. Here Clarke again says something so powerful that you have to step away to catch your breath before proceeding...he says that no people ever spread civilization at anytime or anywhere in all of human history through invasion and conquest....the invader destroys civilization in the name of civilization. From the halls of Montezuma, to isles of the West Indies to the Taj Mahal and everything in between...ancient and strong empires had existed for millennia until first contact with the like of people like Columbus. 

The reason why books like this are important to me and should be to any person of any nationality is best summarized by Clarke...not only did they colonize history...they colonized information about history...they colonized the image of God...You have to look back to understand how we got where we are today. For me it is not only why did the slave trade occur, but why are we still victims of it today.