using my friends essay. rewrite this essay answering the question What is African history? . 2-page minimum critical reflection, double-spaced, 25 points each totaling 100 points of your final grade.2

Brianna Hicks History of South Africa Blair Proctor 10 May 2023 Critical Reflection #1 Due to the historical context within the Eurocentric/W estern academy , the assertion perceives that people of African descent did not have a viable history , or rather histories. However , the primary purpose of Black Studies is to instill from within the essence and importance of articulating the counter -narrative of our history from a Black perspective, due to the suppression of our narrative within the academy over various centuries. This critical reflection is centered on what is African history and why is Black Studies important. According to the African American Reader introduction chapter it says, “ African American Studies is an academic discipline which seeks to investigate phenomena and interrogate issues of the world from an Afrocentric perspective. The resulting finds are then transposed into communally digestible data which will ultimately liberate the African community and cause it to see its own worth once again. I believe that this quote describes what African American studies is. I have had my own experiences in which people try to downplay africana studies/black studies. Many people when someone says that they are majoring in african/ black studies there is always a follow up question discussing what will you be able to do with that degree. But first before I dive into the necessity of having black studies, I will describe what African history is. African history can be described as the history and accomplishments of African people prior to their enslavement. There are so many instances when people just subject African people and their history to when they were enslaved and brought to the americas. But African people have accomplished so many things. “Africa was not just the birthplace of humanity but also the cradle of early civilizations that made an immense contribution to the world and are still marveled at today . The most notable example is Kemet – the original name of ancient Egypt – which first developed in the Nile valley more than 5,000 years ago and was one of the first monarchies.”(Understanding Slavery Initiative) This is one of the many accomplishments that Africa had prior to the enslavement of them. I think that it's very important to always recognize that African history isn't just slavery , Africa was way more than that. They have their own political systems, creation of calendars and mathematical creations. Some historians now believe that Egypt had an important influence on ancient Greece, pointing to the fact that Greek scholars such as Pythagoras and Archimedes studied there and that the work of Aristotle and Plato was lar gely based on earlier Egyptian scholarship. For example, what is commonly known as Pythagoras' theorem was well known to the ancient Egyptians hundreds of years before Pythagoras' birth ( Understanding Slavery Initiative) Next is to discuss the importance of black studies. According to African American Reader introduction chapter it says, “ The purpose of African American studies is to provide the academic world with a new lens through which to discover the beauty of all human beings and to acknowledge and celebrate not simply tolerate the gifts that all have to of fer , regardless of cultural worldviews and resulting dif ferences. Also it states, “As in any academic, social, political or intellectual endeavor , there is no single purpose that drives the field of African American Studies. However , its main purposes should be: (1) to analyze, produce, investigate, and disseminate knowledge about African people; (2) to involve and incorporate the content, ideologies and methodologies of African American Studies in all aspects of the community; (3) to prepare under graduate and graduate students with knowledge, skills, and paradigms to analyze critically factors which af fect African people in America; and (4) to identify issues and problems African Americans face and to provide leadership and solutions to resolve them. These excerpts iterate that black studies is just not a “feel good” feel of study . Black studies is a discipline that mandates people to think critically and holistically while applying certain instances into real world situations. For so long students were subjected to a one sided educational experience, the one that satisfies the white man but what about all the contributions and the mark that black people have made.