Cliff’s Notes

The Reduction
If you visit West Africa, you will see forts dotting the coast. These forts were slave warehouses. They stand as residue of slavery. The effects of slavery are present in Africa as they are in America. Slavery reduced the self-esteem of the black person in the world. This reduction of self-esteem is not only a problem of African Americans; it is also a problem for all people of African descent. In my view, this is the most negative remnant of slavery.

Today’s Motherland
Today, Africa is a continent with 1 billion people. Sub-Saharan Africa, also called Black Africa, has about 800 million people. The continent has 54 countries with various races, cultures, languages and customs. Some countries are wealthier and industrialized, almost like the United States, while others are underdeveloped and poor. Most African countries are democracies and hold peaceful elections regularly.

Currently, most of the conflicts are gone. The continent enjoys a great deal of peace; though, countries such as Democratic Republic of Congo, Central African Republic, South Sudan, Nigeria, and Somalia are in civil wars.

For many African Americans, Africa is “bad news” thanks to the ever-negative images of the continent in western media. The truth is that while Africa is not as affluent as the United States, it is functioning. People live regular lives. They do not live in the jungle. They drive cars, wear clothes, and speak languages and not dialects. Like every other society, the variety of people and their successes and failures are diverse.

One Body, One Mission
We are united by our history much more than our skin color. We are descendants of kings, queens, great warrior nations, and highly advanced civilizations. Today, more than anything else, African Americans and Africans form one of the most marginalized peoples in the whole world; we are brothers and sisters in the struggle. It is our collective duty to make sure that the next generation of Black people understands our place in the world and works toward improving it.

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