Born in Blackness
Africa, Africans, and the Making of the Modern World, 1471 to the Second World War
What's it about
What if the story you know about the modern world is missing its most crucial chapter? What if the true engine of Western prosperity wasn't the Renaissance or the Enlightenment, but the immense wealth and labor extracted from Africa, starting centuries earlier? This summary of Born in Blackness reveals the hidden history you were never taught. You'll discover how the quest for African gold, land, and people fueled Europe's rise, directly leading to the Age of Discovery and the Industrial Revolution. Learn the real story of how Africa and Africans were central to making the world we live in today.
Meet the author
Howard W. French is a professor at the Columbia University Graduate School of Journalism and a former New York Times bureau chief with decades of experience reporting from Africa. His extensive career living and working across West and Central Africa provided him with a unique, ground-level perspective. This firsthand experience, combined with deep historical research, allowed him to uncover the pivotal, yet often overlooked, role of Africa and its peoples in the formation of the modern world.
What's it about
What if the story you know about the modern world is missing its most crucial chapter? What if the true engine of Western prosperity wasn't the Renaissance or the Enlightenment, but the immense wealth and labor extracted from Africa, starting centuries earlier? This summary of Born in Blackness reveals the hidden history you were never taught. You'll discover how the quest for African gold, land, and people fueled Europe's rise, directly leading to the Age of Discovery and the Industrial Revolution. Learn the real story of how Africa and Africans were central to making the world we live in today.
Meet the author
Howard W. French is a professor at the Columbia University Graduate School of Journalism and a former New York Times bureau chief with decades of experience reporting from Africa. His extensive career living and working across West and Central Africa provided him with a unique, ground-level perspective. This firsthand experience, combined with deep historical research, allowed him to uncover the pivotal, yet often overlooked, role of Africa and its peoples in the formation of the modern world.
The Script
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