Stolen 

Histories

The African Origin of Civilization: Myth or Reality is a groundbreaking work by Senegalese historian, anthropologist, and physicist Cheikh Anta Diop. In this powerful text, Diop dismantles long-held Eurocentric myths about Africa’s historical contributions to global civilization. He uses linguistic, archaeological, historical, and cultural evidence to argue that ancient Egypt (Kemet) was a Black African civilization and that African peoples laid the intellectual and cultural foundations for Western and world civilization.

Diop challenges the notion that Africa's history began with colonization or slavery and instead presents an ancient continent rich with advanced societies, powerful kingdoms, and deep philosophical traditions.  

While The African Origin of Civilization is not commonly banned in a legal or official capacity, it is often marginalized, suppressed, or excluded from academic curricula and mainstream history textbooks—especially in Western educational systems. Reasons include:

It directly challenges Eurocentric historical narratives.

It calls into question the racial biases in traditional Egyptology and anthropology.

It threatens colonialist frameworks by promoting the idea of a powerful, intellectual Black legacy.

In some regions, especially where racial history and identity are politically sensitive, the book has been deemed too controversial for students or omitted from required reading lists.

High school and college students interested in world history, Black history, or decolonizing education.

Teachers and educators looking to bring balance and truth to African studies and global history.

Activists, scholars, and readers seeking to reconnect with Africa’s true intellectual legacy.

Anyone curious about African contributions to science, philosophy, politics, and civilization as a whole.

Quote from Diop:

The history of Black Africa will remain suspended in air and cannot be written correctly until African historians dare to connect it with the history of Egypt."

Precolonial Black Africa is one of Cheikh Anta Diop’s most essential works, offering a sweeping analysis of African societies before European colonization. Diop dismantles the false narrative that Africa was primitive or lacking in political and social organization. Instead, he presents detailed evidence that Black African civilizations developed complex political systems, advanced economies, sophisticated cultures, and powerful empires—all independent of external influence.

The book explores civilizations such as ancient Egypt, Mali, Ghana, Songhai, and others, highlighting their governance, social systems, education, and contributions to human progress. Diop also compares African systems with those of classical Greece and Rome, illustrating that Africa was not only equal to but in many ways ahead of Europe before colonization.

Like many of Diop’s works, Precolonial Black Africa has not been formally banned in most countries, but it is often excluded or minimized in mainstream educational institutions. It faces quiet censorship for several reasons:

It undermines colonial justifications that Africa needed to be “civilized.”

It presents Black African civilizations as autonomous and advanced, contradicting dominant Eurocentric narratives.

Diop’s scholarship disrupts the myth of European superiority in history, science, and governance.

It is considered too “radical” or “politically sensitive” in regions where discussions of race, colonialism, or reparations are contentious

Students of African and world history, especially those seeking to understand Africa beyond the lens of slavery and colonization.

Educators and curriculum developers working to decolonize their classrooms.

Historians and political scientists interested in non-Western models of governance and development.

Black youth and communities seeking truth, pride, and empowerment through historical knowledge.

General readers looking to challenge the historical myths taught in traditional Western education

Quote from Diop:

“The cultural personality of a people, once destroyed, is difficult to rebuild. It is by restoring African history that the Black man will regain confidence in himself.”

The Willie Lynch Letter claims to be a speech delivered by a British slave owner named Willie Lynch on the banks of the James River in 1712. In it, he allegedly outlines a brutal, psychological strategy to control enslaved Africans for generations—by setting them against one another based on age, gender, skin color, and status. The letter describes methods to destroy unity, family ties, and identity, with the goal of creating a “self-regulating slave.”

Though widely believed to be a forgery or fictional work, the letter’s enduring relevance lies not in its factual accuracy, but in its allegorical truth. Many argue it eerily mirrors real tactics used to fracture Black communities—from slavery through Jim Crow to modern-day systems of oppression.

Graphic and disturbing content about slavery, torture, and manipulation.

It’s seen by some school boards and libraries as "racially divisive" or "inflammatory."

Its authenticity is disputed, leading some institutions to dismiss it as inappropriate for curriculum—even as a work of critical reflection.

It forces uncomfortable conversations about the legacy of slavery and how its strategies may still be at play.

High school and college students (with proper historical context and discussion).

Community groups and book clubs exploring generational trauma, racial justice, and self-empowerment.

Educators and historians who use it as a discussion tool—not as literal history, but as a lens into systemic racism.

Young Black readers seeking to understand internalized division and reclaim solidarity.

While The Willie Lynch Letter may not be authentic in the historical sense, it rings painfully true in spirit. The psychological chains it describes—colorism, division, mistrust—can still be felt in communities today. That’s why, regardless of origin, it has become required reading in many Black households and grassroots education spaces.

It is not history—but it is a warning, a call to awareness, and a catalyst for unity

The Destruction of Black Civilization is a monumental work by historian Chancellor Williams that seeks to answer a painful question: What happened to African greatness? This powerful book traces the rise and fall of Black civilizations from ancient Egypt and Nubia through centuries of invasions, colonization, and internal division. Williams argues that Africa’s downfall was not solely due to foreign conquerors—it was also the result of internal betrayal, tribalism, and a lack of long-term unity.

More than just a history book, it’s a call to action—a blueprint for Black self-reliance, unity, and restoration. Williams writes for the layperson, not just scholars, making this an accessible and emotionally charged read for anyone seeking to understand the forces that shaped the Black world.

Why It’s Banned or Suppressed:

Radically reclaims African history, challenging Eurocentric views that erase or downplay Black accomplishments.

Directly confronts Arab and European roles in African destruction, which many find politically and culturally uncomfortable.

Advocates for Pan-African unity and self-determination, which was seen as subversive during the 1970s and remains controversial in some academic and political spaces

While not banned by law, it’s often excluded from official school curricula and quietly suppressed in public education systems.

High school and college students seeking to understand Black history from a global, long-term perspective.  

Black community organizers, activists, and leaders focused on education and liberation.

Anyone tired of watered-down history that ignores Africa's true legacy.

Pan-Africanists and Afrocentrists interested in strategies for modern-day unity and empowerment.

Every Black household—this book is often passed down like sacred scripture

Chancellor Williams didn’t just write a history book—he wrote a wake-up call. He wanted Black people everywhere to know where we came from, how we were broken, and how we can rebuild. While the title sounds bleak, the message is hopeful: We can rise again—but only if we know the full truth. That’s why this book is cherished in community circles and feared in institutional ones.

This isn’t just about what we’ve lost—it’s about what we still have the power to reclaim.

Students of African and Indigenous history seeking alternative narratives.

High schoolers and college students questioning Eurocentric world history.

Pan-Africanists, Afrocentrists, and Black cultural scholars.

Educators and librarians building decolonized and inclusive reading lists.

General readers curious about ancient global exploration and suppressed history.

Undermines traditional Eurocentric history, particularly the myth of European superiority in exploration and civilization.

Accused by some mainstream academics of promoting “pseudo-history,” despite its wide influence in Black scholarship and Pan-African studies.

Marginalized in schools and universities, often excluded from curriculum even in Black Studies programs.

Seen as politically threatening, especially in its implications that Africa was a leader in global contact and cultural development.

While not always officially "banned," it has been systematically ignored, discredited, or downplayed in academic spaces..

Students of African and Indigenous history seeking alternative narratives.

High schoolers and college students questioning Eurocentric world history.

Pan-Africanists, Afrocentrists, and Black cultural scholars.

Educators and librarians building decolonized and inclusive reading lists.

General readers curious about ancient global exploration and suppressed history.

Ivan Van Sertima’s work is bold, brilliant, and necessary. Whether one agrees with every theory he presents, his book invites us to ask questions that dominant culture prefers we don’t. It’s not just a historical text—it’s a declaration of identity and presence. For many Black readers, this book is not a debate—it’s a mirror showing what we’ve always suspected: we were here, too.