An Essay on Black Achievements and Advancement

  Melanated  Ingeniousness 

Throughout the Course of time, the Black community’s pursuit for liberation have been omnipresent and ever changing as Ingeniousness, and prosperity changed the narrative  for many individuals suffering from the ramifications of Slavery and its relating constituents . In fact, many believe that Slavery preempted one’s inspiration for betterment. One must 

include information regarding pre-slavery history in order to start elucidations of ingenuity. However this long held and worldwide view  of Ingeniousness after Slavery has evinced the before mentioned notion as Imhotep, the first Egyptian- Black physician  was the principal architect of the Pyramid of Djoser, the step pyramid at Sakkara, where he is historically recorded as the first Physician in the world . Additionally Imhotep would also be the first person who recognized and wrote about the relationship between the heartbeat and the circulation of blood. ( Carmen, 2017) However, one should note that this Egyptian God of Medicine reigned during the year 2600 or 27th Century BC. Similarily Egyptians would also elicit their innovativeness as they crafted their own pyramids , created from limestone, and using the sun light in their encipherment with specific  mathematical concepts in the pyramid’s proportions , dimensions and measurements using mathematical formulas like Pi ;π = 3.1459265359 as well as slope, circumference, and many other geometric, and algebraic mathematical formulas and concepts. ( Onstott, 2014) . Next, Similar advancement would be see amid the Mayans, Incas, Aztecs and Tenotchticlan , and Mexican, Brazilian, and Nicaraguans as they had melanin and displayed African characteristics prior to Christopher Columbus’s arrival ranging from  27 Century BC until the death of the Aztecs in the 1300s. ( Sertima, 92-98, 1976) In fact, proof of their time on this Earth would be illustrated in the many Olmec Stone heads and statues found throughout the United States , or America, as well as throughout Mexico, and South America, and the Caribbean. In fact, it is perceived that their inventiveness stemmed from Egypt. Moreover, Egyptians would also make formations in embalment, as it was practiced amid the mummification process. Egyptians would also build canals, dams, bridges, and aqueducts within their communities.(  Rodney, 77-82, 1972)

Moreover, melanated individuals would reflect ingeniousness that would prove symbolic  as African and African Americans exhibited ingenuity when Ruler of the Mali Empire, and proclaimed first Black billionaire in the World , Mansa Musa would contstruct his University and Mosque of Sankore in Timbuktu, Africa where Musa’s development dates back to 1327, although a mosque prior , highlights Black Ingeniousness prior to Slavery. ( Adebis, 2018) Even in Ethiopia,the 350 CE formation of the ancient Kingdom of Aksum , now called Eritrea began as a trading empire that formed their own written language, minted their own coins, and developed terrace farming and irrigation. Similar advances would surface as the kingdom of Kush, or known as Nubia , would lead innovations in iron mining, and smelting as well as trading, while the Songhai and Mali Empires illustrated endeavors in trading gold and salt from the activity of mining. Gambia and the Mandiga would also have innovations like scales to check gold, and other forms of commerce. ( Rodney, 89-92, 1972). This consummately, explicates how Africans had their own means of wealth, currency, architectural advances,  and import and export trading, thus showing that they had means of stimulating their economy, as well as traveling. In fact, this showcases their involvement in the formation of the other melanted continents as meontioned previously regarding America, and  South America. One can note that traveling by boat, and the making of boats stems from Melanated individuals prior to Columbus, and Europeans , as well as Latin or Spaniard prescience arrival . Fleets among the Nile River were omnipresent amid pre colonial eras ( Donn,2020) Similarily, the Alexandria, Egypt Suez Canal was Constructed in 1859. Although under force by Europeans and Whites, it was dug out of Egyption soil by Egyptians as a trading route based on their high-ranking qualifications in mathematics and architecture ( Rodney 219, 1972). 

Furthermore, although Slavery, and Colonialism would befall amid Africans, Ingeniousness would surface as the Africans, now born as African Americans would spark ingenuity , and innovation as Harriet Tubman led her and a plethora of African Americans ;thus perceived as slaves through the escape to freedom through the Underground Railroad, in which they would run for days, and often barefoot and without light , as well as with dogs and slave catchers often in search for them . While some died during the trail, a multitude of them survived and made it up North . The fact that many of them escaped or pursued  to freedom  rather ,while enduring a frightening, traumatic unknowing of what to come passage, highlights their strength , cleverness, intelligence and determination. 

Rather than becoming a slave among a Vassal Nation, they were in charge of their own Liberation . In fact, in 1848, enslaved persons would construct the Washington Monument, and ( Naamhc, 2016)  would do so as the founding fathers of the United States borrowed aspects of Nile Valley, and Egyptian  symbolism and philosophy and wove them into the heart and soul of their new nation. Their intention was to recreate the spiritual essence of Egyptian civilization in America and along the banks of the Potomac River. ( IKG) Historian and Washington D.C reside, Anthony T Browder  would thus back up these claims within his 2004 novel Egypt on the Potomac that discusses Egyptian architecture and Symbolism within Washington D. C. For instance some suburbs of Washington D.C like Alexandria VA, would be named after Alexandria Egypt, in which was in route of the Suez Canal, as well as Damascus Maryland would be named after Damascus in Syria. (Arab America,2020) Additionally , the creation of the Washington Monument, would thus stem from  Egyptian, or African Obelisks, as structure and architectural design is much an exact replica .( NPR, 2017) Also, the White House would be built by Enslaved persons as well. Not counting enslavement as a precursor, and  to not take away from their strength , the formation of Washington D.C built by the hands of African Americans showcases their ingenuity on a high scale level to commit to such endeavors. 

As Slavery ended, and the new Reconstruction Era launched into effect, African Americans would move up North in what what would become known as the Great Migration. Beginning in the late nineteenth century, African Americans were still under components, and subsets of Slavery through the black codes, labor contracts, vagrancy, continued terror and Lynching as well as exclusion and discrimination. ( Constitutional Rights Foundation, 2020) They were in pursuit  for human rights, civil rights and equality, as well as  integration . With their new purported freedom, African Americans found hardship in attaining good quality education, as well as finding employment, and obtaining the right to vote . As the 15th amendment was passed to ensure that right in 1870, African-Americans were faced and confronted with given literacy test to prove their level of intelligence and perspicacity. However many of them failed, and for those who passed, were still denied because these test were administered by their white counterparts. This would hence question the fact that many individuals more than likely could have passed these literacy test in large amounts than what gets reported in today’s day and age. Moreover, As the racist South did not  change much in sentiment, African Americans migrated North to obtain  employment , education, and advances in farming and agriculture. However once in the North, African Americans were reduced to menial jobs as Urbanization came about . During Urbanization,The Higher class members of the United States of America felt that America needed to be modernized with new inventions ranging from electric lighting, communication improvements, transportation and skyscrapers, all of which African-Americans and other minorities and immigrants built. Much like their African and Egyptian counterparts, African-Americans built a plethora of cities and states  into the state they are in right now. They built sidewalks, cars, street lights and roads. They also put up telephone lines and utility poles. Additionally African Americans were working underground for purposes of transportation advancements in underground trains and trams. ( Open Stax545-550)  Similarily, Garret Morgan, would invent the gas mask to protect African Americans from working on the new invention of underground trains, and also for firefighters encountering  dangerous fumes, as well as for African-Americans modernizing the United States. ( Chamberlain, 2011) . 

Consummately, African Americans were also in search for literacy as well as education, as they formed their own schools without white involvement participation or assistance. The Freedman’s Bureau, mainly ran by African-Americans would help them transition from slavery to ingeniousness as they provided them with aid and assistance, whether it be from education and cash  assistance to  providing employment opprutunities for them. In fact The Freedman’s Bureau, provided assistance to the first All Black Segregated school in Sharbsburg Maryland known as the Tolson’s Chapel. This school was a church turned school and members would create their own chalkboards, and materials. They however had passed down material that were often old, second hand and outdated, but still used what they had. In fact the Freedman’s bureau would come to their defense elucidating that the school needed more funding and assistance. While the Freedman’s bureau was the schools only assistance, new advancements in education would  surface as a plethora of segregated schools came about latterly. This therefore showcases ingeniousness and high level intelligence for one to create their own school without any type of white savior or help from that same oppressor. Basically this new advance was something created for African-Americans by African-Americans. ( Nps, 2020) . Moreover African Americans were promised the “ 40 acres and a mule” reparations but however because of false promises did not recieve them. In fact, Only a small portion of individuals received any type of reparatory  assistance. In fact, Ida B Wells, and African American history and Carter G Woodson, would encourage African-Americans to head north and west, stating that the denial of reparations as well as ongoing black codes were enforced to keep blacks from achieving wealth, ingenuousness and advancements in agriculture. ( Ole Miss, 2015) Additionally, she would write her own publications, books, essays, and documents exposing the gritty nature of lynching. She would also create Schools and education centers for children, and adults seeking literacy and or education. However she would instruct individuals in achieving wealth and their own needs, wants, and necessities . In fact as African-Americans did not receive a precursor to  wealth known as the 40 acres and a mule, they were preempted to construct their own towns, schools, businesses, and churches, Masonic lodges, as well as political, and social  coalitions . One of these all black towns would be known as Burroughs Georgia.  (Cook-Bell, 2017) (Similarly African-American owned towns and  communities up north and the midwest much like in Tulsa Oklahoma, and Texas. In fact historians and figures like Ida B Wells, and Carter G Woodson would explicate the before mentioned elucidation. Woodson in his  The Miseducation of The Negro exemplified African American ingenuity itself as he asserted African-Americans should strive and attain  their own ingenuity. African Americans would take things into their own hands and strive for their own liberation as time grew on. 

As the 20th century settled in , African Americans would partake into the Great Migration and thus promoted the Jazz Movements and Harlem Renaissance. 

At this time Alan Locke coined the term The New Negro .( Haslett, 2018) Additionally, the New Negro would solidify an African-American who dropped their prior detrimental history in the south and racist sentimentality as they rebuilt and rebirthed themselves as prosperous African Americans. In fact The Harlem Renaissance, and Jazz movements generated a profusion of singers, dancers, actors, comedians, writers, poets and many other forms of artistic expression. Alan Locke himself was one of those individuals. Moreover during that time advancements within the political and social sphere by pan Africanist Marcus Garvey would come about as he preached black nationalism, self-love, and inventiveness. Garvey would even construct his own shipping line as a way to transport African-Americans back to Africa. Garvey elucidated to his peers the importance of not expecting a white oppressor to grant liberation. He stated that African-Americans should move back to Africa, specifically Liberia and to create their own new nation of ingenuity, as well as the fact, that African Americans Who could not move back to Africa physically , move back to Africa in terms of sentiment, mentality and mindset, as well as in daily life.  He would also encourage unity with African Americans, and their third world black brothers and sisters. This  would provide ample opportunity for every single African-American to participate in his movements. This movement formed from his U.N.I.A or Universal Negro Improvement Association  would preach pan Africanism. He similarly, advised African-Americans to pursue  human rights rather than civil rights. The fact that he insisted the move back to Africa, and created a ship,/shipping line to do so shows ingenuousness as he provided the problem and the solution. He would also, much like Ida B Wells, create his own newspaper, and publishing, and printing company thus  constructing a newspaper for African-Americans known as the Negro World. ( Leeuwen,2000 ). It is apparent that African-American ingeniousness was omnipresent amid their hardships within the world. Moreover, as the decades furthered , new advancements amid African-Americans would occur betwix the civil rights movement, and the black power movement.  For instance , leaders like Martin Luther King, Malcolm X , Stokely Carmichael W.E.B Dubois  and even organizations like the SNCC, SCLC, Black Panther  party, and The pan Africanist movements would take place all for the purpose of African-American liberation. It is important to note  that many leaders and organizations much like Malcolm X, the black panthers, Stokely Carmichael, and the newly formed Nation of Islam would be inspired by Marcus Garvey . In fact Malcom X’s  grandparents  Louisa, and Earl Little would become members of Garvey’s U.N.I.A as crusaders, writers,  and chapter presidents, as well as his father, and thus inspired Malcom X to become who he is known as to be today. ( Haley, pg 3-4, 1999) In fact Malcom showcased ingenuity by furthering Garvey’s work. Malcolm X would also preach African-American nationalistic, and pan Africanist ideas that in fact inspired The Black Panther  Party. The Panthers, although elucidating Self help, self liberation, and self love, would also show ingeniousness as they gave back to the community by creating their own breakfast program to feed youth, as well as their own ambulance, and medical service for African-Americans ( Pien,2020). They provided a safe space, and world for African-Americans as much as they possibly could. They also would permit African-Americans to learn the law, read books, and take advantage of their Second Amendment right to bear arms as a way deal with  the police brutality that was stemming during the era. They would also provide resolutions towards African-Americans in their plank for liberation. This era of time focused heavily on one’s liberation, freedom, uplift, and betterment

Moreover, as the 20th century was coming to a close, the formation of the hip-hop movement would surface as many  hip-hop, and soul artists would utilize Marcus Garvey‘s sentimentality amid their songs. For instance, in Public Enemy’s critically acclaimed song fight the power, Marcus Garvey, as well as his red, black and green U.N.I.A flag, with also Malcom X, Harriet Tubman, Booker T Washington, Ida B Wells, stokely Carmichael, Martin Luther King, Mahatma Gandhi, and many other purveyors of peace, unity, and liberation as well as Ingeniousness was  showcased throughout the whole entire duration of the music video. Also the lyrics to the song would also spread messages of unity, and self-help sentiments. Also, more hip-hop groups would thus do the same thing amid  the late 80s and 90s generation where artists like Brand Nubian, A tribe called quest, Slick Rick, Queen Latifah, Mc Lyte, Nas, KRs-1, Leaders of the New School , Tupac Shakur, Ice Cube, The Ghetto Boys and many more would explicate the same prior mentioned attitudes. In fact many hip-hop artist would include mini lessons of African-American history within their music, and thus doing so without listeners knowing they were learning . Similarly KRS-1 would be one to include facts, and small history lessons in his songs especially about the ingenuity of African-Americans much like in Egypt, South America, Asia, and even African-American  or indigenous/native folks before colonialism. In fact The hip-hop movement would inspire a large following of individuals to join the nation of Islam, and the newly formed group the five per centers in which many African-American hip-hop artists were a part of. Ingeniousness would show amid the hip-hop movement when hip-hop was inducted into the United Nations as a part of African-American culture, and influential among the people.( Temple ) 

It is ever clear that Ingeniousness among African-Americans has occurred millions of years ago stemming from the Egyption era, and pre-Christ era up until the Reconstruction era, and from the Reconstruction era to now. Ingeniousness has always been a part of African American life, whether from creation of the pyramids to hip hop music, will continue as the world grows older. The long held will and determination of the people in fact has helped a plethora of African-Americans get far in life, as well as improving as a people. African Americans therefore are a beautifully, strong, and dedicated population that has the power to create their own narrative and spark ingeniousness in the process. 

FOOTNOTES/BIBLIOGRAPHY

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Onstott, Scott. “Mathematical Encoding in the Great Pyramid.” Ancient Origins, Ancient Origins, 14 Nov. 2014, www.ancient-origins.net/ancient-places-africa-opinion-guest-authors/mathematical-encoding-great-pyramid-002323. 

folukeifejolafolukeafrica.comAfrican, and Dr. Adebis Foluke. “Timbuktu: Site of 1st African University.” Foluke's African Skies, 6 Apr. 2018, folukeafrica.com/timbuktu-site-of-1st-african-university/. 

Rodney, Walter. How Europe Underdeveloped Africa. Howard Univ. Press, 1982. Pages 77-82

Rodney, Walter. How Europe Underdeveloped Africa. Howard Univ. Press, 1982.  Pages 89-92

Donn, Linn. “Ancient Egypt for KidsEconomy and Trade.” Ancient Egypt for Kids - Economy, Trade, Barter, Debens, Money - Ancient Egypt for Kids, 2020, egypt.mrdonn.org/trade.html. 

Rodney, Walter. How Europe Underdeveloped Africa. Howard Univ. Press, 1982.  Page 219

“The Washington Monument.” National Museum of African American History and Culture, 30 Sept. 2016, nmaahc.si.edu/washington-monument-mobile. 

“Egypt on the Potomac.” IKG Cultural Resource Center, ikgculturalresourcecenter.com/egypt-on-the-potomac/. 

“Did You Know These 10 U.S. Cities Had Arab Names?” Arab America, 21 June 2017, www.arabamerica.com/10-u-s-cities-arab-names/. 

“History & Culture.” National Parks Service, U.S. Department of the Interior, 2019, www.nps.gov/wamo/learn/historyculture/index.htm. 

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1. “Urbanization and Its Challenges,” Chapter 19: The Growing Pains of Urbanization, 1870-1900 (OpenStax), , https://openstax.org/books/us-history/pages/19-1-urbanization-and-its-challenges pages 545-550

Gains Chamberlain, “Garrett Morgan - Inventor of the Gas Mask and Traffic Signal “| The Black Inventor Online Museum. www.google.com/amp/blackinventor.com/garrett-morgan/amp/. 

“African Americans and Education During Reconstruction: The Tolson's Chapel Schools (U.S. National Park Service).” National Parks Service, U.S. Department of the Interior, www.nps.gov/articles/african-americans-and-education-during-reconstruction-the-tolson-s-chapel-schools.htm. 

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Bell, Karen Cook. “African American Freedom and the Illusive ‘Forty Acres and a Mule.’” AAIHS, 18 Nov. 2017, www.aaihs.org/african-american-freedom-and-the-illusive-forty-acres-and-a-mule/. 

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Haley, Alex. The Autobiography of Malcolm X: as Told to Alex Haley. New York, NY: Random House, 1999. Pages 3-4

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