Jacksonville Public Library

They came before Columbus, the African presence in ancient Africa, Ivan Van Sertima

eng

Includes bibliographical references and index

platesillustrations

index present

non fiction

They came before Columbus

bibliography

2238204

Ivan Van Sertima

the African presence in ancient Africa

"<i>They Came Before Columbus</i> reveals a compelling, dramatic, and superbly detailed documentation of the presence and legacy of Africans in ancient America. Examining navigation and shipbuilding; cultural analogies between Native Americans and Africans; the transportation of plants, animals, and textiles between the continents; and the diaries, journals, and oral accounts of the explorers themselves, Ivan Van Sertima builds a pyramid of evidence to support his claim of an African presence in the New World centuries before Columbus. Combining impressive scholarship with a novelist's gift for storytelling, Van Sertima re-creates some of the most powerful scenes of human history: the launching of the great ships of Mali in 1310 (two hundred master boats and two hundred supply boats), the sea expedition of the Mandingo king in 1311, and many others. In [this book], we see clearly the unmistakable face and handprint of black Africans in pre-Columbian America, and their overwhelming impact on the civilizations they encountered."--Page [4] of cover

The secret route from Guinea -- The visible witnesses -- The mariner prince of Mali -- Africans across the sea -- Among the Quetzalcoatls -- Mandingo traders in medieval Mexico -- Black Africa and Egypt -- The black kings of the twenty-fifth dynasty -- African-Egyptian presences in ancient America -- Plants and transplants -- Smoking, tobacco and pipes in Africa and America -- The mystery of Mu-lan-pi