Visiting Speaker Lectures On African Diaspora
[Updated] Last night [Mar.15], at the Cathedral Hall on Church Street, to an audience of around 150 people, Dr Runoko Rashidi presented an hour-long slideshow and talk giving his perspective on the ‘African Diaspora: Global African Presence, Ancient and Modern.’
He led off by saying that many in the West, African-Americans in particular, needed to be taught not to be anti-African. He said that it was not uncommon for African-Americans to consider events taking place in Africa, and follow that by saying that they were glad that slavery had taken them out of Africa, and as a consequence, had placed them in a better place.
Dr Rashidi said that statements and feelings like this were caused by not knowing about the rich history of black peoples that began long before the sixteenth century advent of trans-oceanic slavery.
Commencing his slide show and talk with a picture of the Sally Bassett statue in the Cabinet grounds, Dr Rashidi stressed that the history of black people was a history that went way back past the advent of sixteenth century slavery and that history about blacks needed to be taught in that context.
Dr Rashidi’s slides showed slides of the Pyramids of Egypt, artwork more than 3,000 years old, paintings of a halo-ed black Jesus that hung in a Coptic museum in Egypt, and a trumpet playing herald who worked in the court of England’s King Henry Vlll. He also showed paintings of a black knight – St Maurice – who he said was a German, but originally came out of Egypt.
He cited other blacks who held or have prominent places in European or world history including:
- General Dumas, French Army andf father of Alexander Dumas – author of The Three Musketeers and The Count of Monte Cristo.
- Alexander Pushkin, Russian writer said to be the father of modern Russian literature
- Imhotep – Egyptian Pharaoh who was reputed to have a superior knowledge of science, astronomy, and medicine.
Regarding Christianity and some of its western values and perspectives on race, Dr Rashidi said that globally, there were about sixteen different stories in various cultures, many black, about the birth of Christ or a Christ-like person.
The slide show segued into a Question and Answer period with lively audience participation.
Dr Rashidi visit to Bermuda was sponsored by CURB.
Update: CURB said “For those of you who missed, or were unable to attend last night’s standing room only presentation by Dr. Rashidi, historian, anthropologist and world traveler, there is now a second opportunity to hear his phenomenal presentation at the Leopards Club 7:30 p.m. on Thursday, 17th March 2011. This presentation entitled “Africa: Its History its People” will be different from the presentation last night.”
