I realized, despite the fact most of my family's history was lost in the fire of the great house, I had grown lazy in complacency. I accepted this and didn't try looking any further than ancestry.com. My father's side is just as perplexing simply because each of them voluntarily chose to exclude me from all family life. I stood stopped in my own tracks, unable to see a solution around this mental roadblock. This is when I stood still and considered my options. The matriarch of the family, my grandmother, Dorothy Mullins is no longer with us. My next option: history.
Unbeknownst to any grade school level American history classes, Africa is not Africa. The continent's true name is Alkebulan or Afruika (Kemetic for motherland/birthplace). Aphrike in Greek, and Aprica in Latin–both mean sunny and warm. Scipio Africanus Major, the Roman general renowned for his army's victory over Hannibal in the Second Punic War, did not name the continent. In fact, the complete opposite occurred: He named himself in honor of the continent. Considering the time between the Kemetian Calendar (aka, "Egyptian Calendar") and the founding of Rome is 2,747+ years, it is fair to say Afruika came first. Scipio drove Hannibal from North Africa back to Carthage, then defeated him at Zama. Since these wars were fought in "Africa", he attached the surname, "Africanus".
Until recently, Berber/Moorish/Black history has been nothing but an oversimplified story of the oppressor and the oppressed. It wasn't until I started studying and looking for the answers myself that I realized the importance of brown people in history. For example, in regards to oppression: Toussaint L'Ouverture (1742-1803), a former slave and leader of the only successful slave revolt in modern history. He was the son of an African prince (Gau Guinon) who was captured by slavers. Taught by his godfather Pierre Baptiste and Jesuit priests, L'Ouverture was trilingual, a great strategist, horseman, and medical practitioner. He was notably familiar with African plant/herbal medicinal practices. Bayon de Libertad, manager of the Breda plantation was so impressed with Louverture, he gave him unlimited access to his library.
In 1791, in what was to be known as the "Night of Fire", slaves revolted by killing whites, torching plantation houses, and fields. Despite the fact L'Ouverture was "freed" in 1791 by de Libertad, he decided to join the Haitian Revolution in order to help others gain the same liberties. A gentleman, he did not join the insurrection until he secured the safety of his family in Santo Domingo (the Spanish-controlled eastern part of the island), and ensured de Libertad (as well as his family) had safe passage to America. The initial uprising was subdued, but inspired by French revolutionary principles and outraged by the inhumane treatment of Blacks by white planters, the fighting continued. In war, L'Ouverture will prove himself as a soldier, secretary, general, and be knighted by the Spaniards.
First, he served as a soldier and secretary to Georges Biassou, one of the leaders of the revolt. In the beginning, the black insurgency chose to align itself with Spain to defeat France. Fearful of Britain and Spain's attempts to capitulate the island, the French National Convention granted citizenship rights as well as freedom to all blacks on the island in 1794 primarily to preserve colonial rule. Unfortunately, this helped secure the loyalty of the black populous. Following the ruling, L'Ouverture led the French in ousting Britain along with capturing the Spanish-controlled portion of the island (1794–1802), and was made lieutenant governor of Saint Domingue by Étienne Leveaux. Eventually, he ran the entire island as a state and drafted a constitution where he reiterated the freedom of all slaves.
Napoleon Bonaparte became First Consul in 1799, and when L'Ouverture ignored his commands to allow slavery to persist in the Spanish Santo Domingo, he declared war. Bonaparte deployed his brother-in-law, Charles Leclerc, to capture L'Ouverture and reinstitute slavery on the island. Truly, Bonaparte was concerned about the economic losses to ensue after the abolishment of slavery and did not want the territory being ran by a "colored" man. There are several stories surrounding the capture of L'Ouverture: He either put down his sword in battle in exchange for Lerlec's word that slavery would not be reinstated, or was taken captive during a parley. Both? Either way, he was imprisoned in Fort de Joux in the French Alps where he died of pneumonia and torture. Full independence was achieved a year later by one of L'Ouverture's generals, Jean Jaques Dessalines.
Please correct me and let me know if any of this information is incorrect. All of the information I gathered was from the sources listed below as well as my own limited historical knowledge regarding this moment in time. I am open to learning, found this highly enjoyable, and will periodically continue blogging in the future about black history.
Unbeknownst to any grade school level American history classes, Africa is not Africa. The continent's true name is Alkebulan or Afruika (Kemetic for motherland/birthplace). Aphrike in Greek, and Aprica in Latin–both mean sunny and warm. Scipio Africanus Major, the Roman general renowned for his army's victory over Hannibal in the Second Punic War, did not name the continent. In fact, the complete opposite occurred: He named himself in honor of the continent. Considering the time between the Kemetian Calendar (aka, "Egyptian Calendar") and the founding of Rome is 2,747+ years, it is fair to say Afruika came first. Scipio drove Hannibal from North Africa back to Carthage, then defeated him at Zama. Since these wars were fought in "Africa", he attached the surname, "Africanus".
Until recently, Berber/Moorish/Black history has been nothing but an oversimplified story of the oppressor and the oppressed. It wasn't until I started studying and looking for the answers myself that I realized the importance of brown people in history. For example, in regards to oppression: Toussaint L'Ouverture (1742-1803), a former slave and leader of the only successful slave revolt in modern history. He was the son of an African prince (Gau Guinon) who was captured by slavers. Taught by his godfather Pierre Baptiste and Jesuit priests, L'Ouverture was trilingual, a great strategist, horseman, and medical practitioner. He was notably familiar with African plant/herbal medicinal practices. Bayon de Libertad, manager of the Breda plantation was so impressed with Louverture, he gave him unlimited access to his library.
In 1791, in what was to be known as the "Night of Fire", slaves revolted by killing whites, torching plantation houses, and fields. Despite the fact L'Ouverture was "freed" in 1791 by de Libertad, he decided to join the Haitian Revolution in order to help others gain the same liberties. A gentleman, he did not join the insurrection until he secured the safety of his family in Santo Domingo (the Spanish-controlled eastern part of the island), and ensured de Libertad (as well as his family) had safe passage to America. The initial uprising was subdued, but inspired by French revolutionary principles and outraged by the inhumane treatment of Blacks by white planters, the fighting continued. In war, L'Ouverture will prove himself as a soldier, secretary, general, and be knighted by the Spaniards.
First, he served as a soldier and secretary to Georges Biassou, one of the leaders of the revolt. In the beginning, the black insurgency chose to align itself with Spain to defeat France. Fearful of Britain and Spain's attempts to capitulate the island, the French National Convention granted citizenship rights as well as freedom to all blacks on the island in 1794 primarily to preserve colonial rule. Unfortunately, this helped secure the loyalty of the black populous. Following the ruling, L'Ouverture led the French in ousting Britain along with capturing the Spanish-controlled portion of the island (1794–1802), and was made lieutenant governor of Saint Domingue by Étienne Leveaux. Eventually, he ran the entire island as a state and drafted a constitution where he reiterated the freedom of all slaves.
Napoleon Bonaparte became First Consul in 1799, and when L'Ouverture ignored his commands to allow slavery to persist in the Spanish Santo Domingo, he declared war. Bonaparte deployed his brother-in-law, Charles Leclerc, to capture L'Ouverture and reinstitute slavery on the island. Truly, Bonaparte was concerned about the economic losses to ensue after the abolishment of slavery and did not want the territory being ran by a "colored" man. There are several stories surrounding the capture of L'Ouverture: He either put down his sword in battle in exchange for Lerlec's word that slavery would not be reinstated, or was taken captive during a parley. Both? Either way, he was imprisoned in Fort de Joux in the French Alps where he died of pneumonia and torture. Full independence was achieved a year later by one of L'Ouverture's generals, Jean Jaques Dessalines.
Please correct me and let me know if any of this information is incorrect. All of the information I gathered was from the sources listed below as well as my own limited historical knowledge regarding this moment in time. I am open to learning, found this highly enjoyable, and will periodically continue blogging in the future about black history.
Sources (Sorry, working on the hanging indent on Blogger!)
Fagg, John E. "Toussaint L'Ouverture." Encyclopedia Britannica Online. Encyclopedia Britannica, 20 Nov. 2014. Web. 15 Jan. 2015.
McNally, Deborah. "Toussaint L'Ouverture." Toussaint L'Ouverture (1742–1803). BlackPast.org, 2011. Web. 22 Jan. 2015.
McNally, Deborah. "Toussaint L'Ouverture." Toussaint L'Ouverture (1742–1803). BlackPast.org, 2011. Web. 22 Jan. 2015.
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