My Thoughts and Feeling about The Destruction of Black Civilization

By Mentee Jayvyn B. Wood

One of my favorite subjects throughout my childhood, to the time I’m currently spending in high school, is history. Every time I hear of grand empires, innovative societies, and notable people of the past, and how their contributions culminated towards modern society, I was absolutely enthralled. Nearly every type of creed was taught to me, except my own. Having only recently discovered this gap in my education, I tried to find a deeper understanding of my people’s culture on my own, to no avail. Now, after reading part one of “The Destruction of Black Civilization”, by the ambitious author Chancellor Williams, I have discovered a much clearer view of my ancestors history, and unfortunately their downfall. Something I found amazing about the book is the sheer amount of information Chancellor Williams managed to obtain despite how ancient the subject. I’m doubly awed by the wealth of knowledge Williams wrote into his book because he surmounted the efforts of others to erase said history. His theories on how Africa’s cultural destruction happened are more emotionally charged than most traditional researchers. Nonetheless, I find Chancellor Williams’ investigation legitimate because of the absolute passion he has for seeking the truth.

In fact, the determination of Africans is frequently pointed out in the book as one of their most exceptional traits, a tradition that hasn’t been lost to this day. Personally, my favorite chapters are about the exploits of Queen Nzinga, who dedicated her entire life to waging war against injustice. She was the epitome of fortitude and wisdom, a notable example of great leadership that black people should look up to because of her inspirational life. It's a shame that such a significant woman isn’t placed on the same pedestal as Alexander the Great or Martin Luther King. However, I am happy knowing that her people and those who strive for enlightenment have kept her memory alive.

Speaking of memory, I remember that for most of my life, I was under the impression that democracy as we know it today was an invention of the ancient Greeks. At the time, I never questioned that statement, but my perception of history has now changed. Africans were in fact the creators of democracy; one that gave power to the people in practice, not in theory. Ironically, compared to the modern systems of democracy that were developed after Africa’s cultural downfall, it was the closest to achieving the true point of a republic; uniting the people by giving them all authority over their fates equally, not dividing power between multiple power-hungry factions. When we band together as brothers and sisters once again, I can foresee us shedding light to the entire world on this fallacy, and many other deceptions. We could even reclaim centuries of lost culture, if we put our heart and soul into it. I believe accomplishing that would give Black people more faith in themselves, as many are unfortunately ignorant to what can engender pride.

Right now, I feel intense pride in my origins, and I believe that this book can inspire any Black person into experiencing honor for their ancestry as well. That’s how revolutions begin; having pride in yourself and your people, and a willingness to change the world. Now, I strive to emulate my awe inspiring ancestors, all due to motivations from a single book. It most likely would have taken me years to find my cultural identity, and while I am certain there is vast wealth of my history that I still don’t completely comprehend, Chancellor Williams and The Destruction of Black Civilization has given me a fantastic starting point on my journey. Thank you, Chancellor Williams, for helping me learn about my people.