The African Diaspora is well known for being a system of migration for those who are of African descent across the globe. The spreading of nobel ideas and identities have allowed African culture to transform into a voyage, allowing disintegration to occur within every place Africans left their mark in. The migration of Africans towards different regions of the world such as Egypt (Nubia), Islam, and America have enabled Africans to disperse in places besides their own. Through the African Diaspora, the concept of racism was brought to light due to skin color holding a major factor in the labeling of others. Today, race continues to play an immense role when it comes to separating people into categories all thought the country. Both Islamic society and Antiquity have conttributed to both the construction of race and civilization in the past and present.
The major expansion of Egypt began to occur over time due to the country beginning to have cross-cultural contact and exchange with Africans. It is very well known for its crossroads that have allowed those from West Africa to migrate within the country and use as an exchange point for goods. Egypt was known for its desire of gold and to gain access to Nubian culture in order to add it towards Egyption culture. From 2080 – 1640, Egypt began to invade Nubia in attempt of taking control of their land and and finding their trade routes. Although Egypt and Nubia began to form into one, sharing many similarities within their culture and ways of living, Nubia still craved the idea of being able to be one without being controlled by Egypt. Kush, a civilization within Nubia, was known as the Kingdom of Africa for over 1400 years. Kush ruled both Egypt and Nubia, with its powerful government, religion, and cultural aspects. The worshipping of Egyptian gods was new for many Africans from West Africa and so were the large amount of pyramids that resonated within the land. Africans were well known for performing labor in Kush as servants to the farmers. They were in charge of handling the barley, wheat, and the cotton in order for the country to be able to develop articles of clothing for the wealthy members of society. Napata, Meroe, and Kerma were known for being the capitals of the Kush where many men within the Nubian military fought with Egypt. Although both Nubia and Egypt held some of the first migrations for Africans, Rome developed a substantial amount of power and was able to conquer both regions.
West Africans became aware of the Graeco-Roman World once allowed access towards the Mediterranean world. Rome was not well known for having a large amount of Africans in their community. The greeks had gone through much of a cultural shock when seeing other people who didn’t resemble their own. Nubaia was well in contact with Rome which was some of the every few times that those in Rome would see people of African descent. They were in no way shape or form ignorant towards those of African descent and treated them as their own due to them not knowing the difference between themselves and the Africans. Africans that were enslaved in the Graeco-Roman world were only a small fraction of the total number of slaves in these territories. Enslaved only a portion of Africans in Europe in other capacities: merchants, musicians, gladiators, athletes, soldiers (Gomez, Lecture 9/6). Africans were interested in the Roman world and all of the amenities that they were given access to compared to other other regions of the world where access to certain things were limited due to their appearance and skin color. The term Ethiopian was developed by the Greeks, referring primarily to the Africans, Indians, and Arabs because of their dark colored skin/ being a “burnt-faced person” and being viewed as exotic (Reversing Sails, 13). Racism or any form of negative prejudice was not significant in the Roman world, but once the Greeks began to notice how diverse their population was becoming, people began to be put into certain groups with labels on them. Many people who were placed in these specific groups were slaves in the Roman world, but have now been granted freedom and developed into powerful figures who are in control of parts of the Roman territory. The Graeco Roman World was a place where Africans were not viewed as indifferent, treated with respect, and were given an immense amount of opportunities.
Similarly to the Graeco Roman World, the Islamic World was a place where Africans wanted to make their mark and hold a place within the Islamic culture. However, compared to Rome, Muslims in Islam believed that making Africans and others of various ethnicities slaves was a normal thing to do. This all changed a few centuries over due to the belief in slavery being prominent for those of African descent in Islamic culture. This is when race slowly started to become more prominent and held a meaning in the Islamic world, allowing the viewpoints of others to alter. The Quran was known for holding no racism within the text and often taught Islamic society that the color of one's skin should not matter. Regardless of your race, if you were enslaved by an Islamic ruler, you would have to convert to the Islamic religion. Muslim slaveholders were often required to treat their slaves with respect even though they were their property. However, in African Diaspora in the Mediterranean, there is proof as to how African slaves were not treated in the right manner by their masters, “Two powerful men seized one of the two Negroes, threw him to the ground and sat astride his heels and neck” (74). Although Islam was known for requiring their slaveholder to be good towards their slaves, this proves how Africans are more simply of a target rather than other races.
Racism in the twenty first century is simply the way it is due to the development of West African culture in the African Diaspora reflecting off of our world today. The United States of America is more diverse than ever before, yet modern day slavery and racism still tend to occur. Issues such as murder, slave holdings, and sexual assault are only rising, allowing history to continue being a repetitive cycle, ruining the nation in which has developed over the past couple of years. Even today, Africa is still one of the most well known countries for holding people captive and making them slaves. Slave markets occur all throughout Africa where Africans are portrayed as objects and inhumane figures to be purchased by those who are of wealth and high authority. Men are held captive by their masters and their wives and young children are submissive towards those in power. If women refuse to obey those in charge, they'd either be raped or physically abused by the men. The world today still revolves around the idea of skin color being a determinant factor when it comes to applying for jobs, traveling to other countries or attending specific universities. Many African people are well known for obtaining jobs that make them subsevant towards their bosses or those who have authority over them. It is rare to see an African man or woman in power of any other race within the workforce. Anywhere you go, you are likely to be judged by the color of your skin, the texture of your hair, or the clothes you may wear. It is very rare to find places within America where your race won’t be the first thing that is acknowledged by someone else. In many schools and universities, it is rare to see a faculty member who may be of African descent or have colored skin. Skin color is often viewed as the token to success, the lighter you are the more likely you are to be accepted. In addition to faculty members, those a part of the admissions staff are known for turning down students who may be of African descent or have colored skin even if they qualify for a seat at that university. The level of discrimination against the African community within the United States is very serious with immediate measures needed to be taken to prevent it from continuing to occur. Many strive for America to move forward in national unity and not let one’s skin color or race determine one’s ability to succeed, but our government and country lack the knowledge of how to transform this world into into a equalized spectrum of ideals.
In essence, the African Diaspora has contributed greatly to the cultivation of both race and civilization. Africans choosing to migrate all throughout the Egyptian-Nubian region, Islamic society and the Graeco-Roman world have allowed this idea of race to hold a meaning and gain the power to change one’s way of living. African identity is, and always will be a major issue for those apart of the African Diaspora due to it placing one in a hierarchy of being portrayed as less privileged. West Africa was the starting point of the unfolding of hardships that those of African descent would have to face in life, and this still continues to this day in America where many Africans have to continuously fight for their rights in order to get through their their own battles. This idea of African culture was birthed throughout the Diaspora and not only highlighted the significant bits and pieces of Africa, but brought to life the experiences that still resonate with African American culture today in the United States of America.