The Slave Kingdoms And The Holy Land, By Henry Gates

In “Wonders of the African World: Episode 3 & 4 The Slave Kingdoms and The Holy Land,” Henry Gates discuss the origins of the slave trade in a compelling argument with accounts from ancestors of the traders and the slaves. Starting around the fifteenth century, Europeans began exploring Africa, finding high quality commodities including gold, but the one good that was of most value to them was human beings. One of the first European trading posts was located in Elmina, Ghana, where Gates visited to collect information about his family’s past from interviews. In visiting Elmina, Gates attended a tour of a local slave castle. Originally the slave castles were built for trade in timber and gold, but then were used for trans Atlantic slave

Through intense discussions with ancestors of slaves and slave traders alike, Gates reveals the truth behind the slave trade in West Africa. Even before Europeans came to Africa, the Africans themselves practiced slavery, usually commandeered by royalty. One very fascinating point made by a woman that Gates interviewed was that if Africans hadn’t sold Africans into slavery, then Europeans most likely wouldn’t have started the Trans Atlantic slave trade. The Africans started the slave trade and allowed it to continue, actually perpetuating stereotypes that Africans could be perceived as inferior to other races, including other Africans. One individual that Gates interviewed was the Asanti king’s son. He discussed that although Africans did assist in the slave trade, they didn’t actually know how poor the conditions were where the slaves were housed and were treated by the Europeans. If the Africans had known of the brutality of the Europeans, the question becomes, would the slave trade have continued for as long as it did? Unfortunately, they were not aware soon enough and the slave trade became one of the largest industries in the

The slave trade was one of the reasons that the Dark Continent myth began. Because Africans themselves forced other Africans, specifically highly ranked Africans and lowly ranked Africans, into slavery, Europeans began to think that it was acceptable for them to do the same. The Europeans took advantage of the Africans slowly, beginning with the lowly ranked, then rapidly began to conquer and colonize the continent. Similar to a frog in water that slowly rises in temperature, the frog won’t realize that the water is boiling until it is too late. The Africans didn’t notice that they were being taken advantage of until it was all of them being condemned as slaves. Once Europeans had their foot in the door in Africa, they were able to create the stereotypes that Africans were inferior, as they were the slaves and peasants of the world. Through this label of inequality, Europeans could calm their conscience and treat Africans brutally, almost as if they were lower than animals. The purpose of the course is to elaborate on the African myth and to bring to light the true Africa. This film reveals the history of Africa and in turn, defiles the Dark Continent