Don't let the title fool you. Especially if you already believe that Euro-centric history is missing a bit of "World History" or tweaked it so much that others in the world don't seem to exist as they should. If you have read Euro-centric World History, then this book will begin to prepare you to revoke or become critical of much of what Euro-centric history has to say. Especially if it is silent on black African achievement or placing Egypt within the boundaries of Europe. How and when did that happen? Diop explains how that isn't possible through Archeological findings with carbon dating, linguistic or language comparisons with other prominent African nations, the egyptian text, historical documents, among other items used to document his findings. From the ancient times to present day, the black African footprint has been left all over this world. From governance, to religion, to the medical sciences, to the stars, and etc, the black African has contributed to this world's history in a huge way. Get this book and his other books, Read this book and his other books, Enjoy this book and his other books, and You'll love this book and his other books. Most of all, you'll rethink Euro-centric history once you are enlightened with "African Origin of Civilization".

This is a must read book for anyone seeking true knowledge of the history of the African people. I recommend that this work be an addition to any non-fiction library.

Without a doubt the most critical and honest review of who the ancient Kemetians(Egyptians)were; Black Africans. This book should be on the shelf in every African-American home, as well as those in the Diaspora. It is the final stage in understanding who were are as a people. As the great Mr. Diop says:

"The oneness of KMT(Egypt)and black culture could not be stated more clearly. Because of this essential identity of genius, culture, and race, today all Negroes can legitimately trace their culture to ancient KMT(Egypt)and build a modern culture on that foundation. By this dynamic contact, the Negro will be convinced that these temples, these forests of columns, these pyramids, these colossi, these bas-reliefs, mathematics, medicine, and all the science, are indeed the work of his ancestors and that he has the right and a duty to claim this heritage."

Diop is no idiot proclaiming this fact just because it sounds good, every arguement that he makes is based upon meticulous research & FACTUAL evidence. Is it any wonder that Dr. John Henry Clarke, the scholar, fought for almost ten years to get his books published in the United States?

The recent King Tut exhibit that was on tour in the United States was a propoganda tour with it's fake euro-arab depiction of King Tut; The blacks that protested it got absolutely NO media coverage. Anyone with just a cursory knowledge of ancient Egypt knows King Tut could never have looked like that, his grandmother was a pure African Woman, Queen Tiye. (look it up and see for yourself)

Zawi Hawass is an idiot who was trained here in the U.S., in its overwhelmingly racist field of egyptology; run by people who find it hard to believe that this was an African civilization, even though the greeks and other ancients admit this fact wholeheartedly themselves in their writings.

It is even more sick that some would like to think that aliens from outer space built the pyramids... It is laughable that an Arab is the curator and spokesman for egypt antiquity when Arabs didn't invade & settle into the Holy land until around 640 AD.

The fact is that Egypt is and was founded by Black Africans and no amount of propoganda can hide this; at least to those of us who know the truth.

There were all sorts of jewels of wisdom, in this book. One of the most important things is the origin of the Egyptians. I had, previously, read that the kings of ancient Egypt were Akan(black), in terms of their origin. Now, I know that they were also, from other black tribes, as well. This is evidenced, in terms of words and concepts, from the ancient Afrikan tongues, being used by black people in Afrika/Kam today, in present day black languages, like Wolof. The truth is presented by the master historian Cheikh Anta Diop, in graphic detail.

Ancient Egyptians during the dynastic period saw themselves as Egyptians. Their art and literature pointedly reveals that they showed no identification with either Africa or Asia. However, Mr. Doipe believed otherwise. The book is full of hypotheses and references that are either false of fictitious.

A great book for all people to read. It is especially great if you are into a well writen and accessable archeological preposition. You will learn a lot from this text and have much to think about after.

This book is a must read for every black person of high school age and above. Dr. Diop, While clearly a crusader for truth about black african history, thoroughly supports his conclusion that the ancient egyptians were black people. This conclusion is supported by the record left by the ancient Egyptians themselves: through their pryamid paintings, reliefs, sculptures, and writings.

This edited version of Cheik Anta Diop's groundbreaking work is a must read for anyone interested not only in African history but history in general. Its tendency to polemic is nonetheless a strong counterpoint to the 'whitening' of history that has been occurring in anthropology and archeology since theories of race began developing as socio-political weapons in the 17th-18th century. Diop eloquently refutes the claims to the European or Asian origin of Eygyptian civilisation by examing the core texts of the European experts who have actively perpetrated such theories, and by bringing to our awareness evidence for the antiquity of other African civilisations thorughout Africa and the orient. He has been accused of racism himself but his text exposes how racist ideologies of Europe gave rise to lies still in common circulation today. We must not take for granted the 'truth' of history presented in our classrooms and mainstream media. This is a well argued and thoroughly reserached text that if read with an open mind and a critical eye will change your understanding of history.

This edited version of Cheik Anta Diop's groundbreaking work is a must read for anyone interested not only in African history but history in general. Its tendency to polemic is nonetheless a strong counterpoint to the 'whitening' of history that has been occurring in anthropology and archeology since theories of race began developing as socio-political weapons in the 17th-18th century. Diop eloquently refutes the claims to the European or Asian origin of Eygyptian civilisation by examing the core texts of the European experts who have actively perpetrated such theories, and by bringing to our awareness evidence for the antiquity of other African civilisations thorughout Africa and the orient. He has been accused of racism himself but his text exposes how racist ideologies of Europe gave rise to lies still in common circulation today. We must not take for granted the 'truth' of history presented in our classrooms and mainstream media. This is a well argued and thoroughly reserached text that if read with an open mind and a critical eye will change your understanding of history.

First and foremost lets all accept this fact. People are going to believe what they want to believe in many cases without a real curiosity or concern with separating truth from fallacy. Why? Because its easy, and what is worse for some, is because at their moral base they prefer arrogant elitism over objective investigation.

Of course the fallacy that Africa and those native to that continent made no positive and/or major contributions to civilization makes no sense at all. That's like praising the stealth fighter planes of today yet insisting that the Wright Brothers and others of their time didn't really make any significant contribution to air travel.

Without question many well respected scholars, historians, anthropologists, etc... delivered their most important works in a time when it was necessary to justify the colonization of Africa and the inferiority of their inhabitants to maintain some sense of moral character. To them real or imagined, even the most noble at times had a (Thomas Jefferson type of self contradiction) in matching the clarity of science with the cloudy prism of racism in their own minds. Its just one of several human frailties we are all subject too if not careful.

A true student of history could not dismiss Diops work just because he spoke from a place that was unpopular. As an African himself we should expect his work to challenge the popular opinion of that day, which indeed under any serious study shows it self to be contradictory many times, bias and most certainly questionable at the very least when dealing with the history of Africa and Africans.

Diop was a student activist who was also a brilliant mind that chose science to find an answer to questions he had about the chaos that had befallen his homeland. In doing so he found far more and this he presents in a way nothing short of interesting, scholarly and well worth reading.

Given the depth of Diops commitment to intellectual prowess and understanding of his chosen fields of the sciences, his presentation dealing with ethnology, linguistics, anthropology to mention a few areas is far more substantive than many of those he challenges and he pulls no punches in demanding a respectful hearing from those who would suggest to be the same if not more than a scholar than he.

It would be a mistake to misinterpret Diop's challenging works regarding civilization, Egypt and Africa as a ploy to belittle another group or say one race is better or worse than another. His thought process rises far above and beyond that, reaching to edify all readers regarding the importance of truth in science which will lead to a better understanding of our existence, past, present, and future. Simply put, the book is not for the simple minded.

What is this person trying to prove? Most of this book was created on a racist bent, not very professional if you ask me. Shouldn't we be enjoying their gifts to mankind, instead of crying about something so petty and childish? Egypt was a melting pot, GET OVER IT! Besides, the race of these wonderfull people shouldn't matter. Quit befouling a glorious culture with modern day "politics."

Diop has written a powerful book placing the African civilizations of what is commonly called "Ancient Egypt" at the begining of world history ,where it rightly belong.
The French trained scholar used modern linquistics to put to rest, once and for all, the the pure assertion on the part of Western Egyptologist that the language spoken by the ancient Egyptians was a semitic language related to Hebrew and Arabic. Diop demonstrates conclusively that the language of ancient Egypt was a Black African language related genetically at many levels of the gramatical structure to the languages spoken by peope of Black Africa today! No competent linguist can demostrate that the ancient Egyptian language is genetically related to the so-called "Oriental Languages" or semitic family of languages. It can not be done.
Dr. Theophile Obenga, a Congolese scholar who worked closely with Dr. Diop, demolished the unscientific work of Dr. Greenberg. Greenberg placed the language of the ancient Egyptians in the semitic group or family of languages with Hebrew, Arabic, etc. Evidently Greenberg had no broad- first hand knowlege of any African language. Judging from his work, it appears doubtful if Greenberg ever seriously studied African languages. Nowdays Greenberg's work is clearly more dogma than science.
Diop points out that the ancient Egyptians said that they(the ancient Egyptians)came from the South at the place in the heart of Africa where the mighty Nile river has its source. This would be in the Great Lakes region. And that Egypt was all the land watered by the Nile.
The ancient Egyptians buried their dead facing the South. To them the South was the "Holy Land", Ta Marry.
The worldview of the ancient Egyptians, their cosmology and religion is African. Every element of Egyptian religion has its counterparts in the African religions of today. The concept of the KA and the Ba are found thoughout black Africa today.
Christianity, Judaism and Islam grew out of the rich religious and ethical teachings of these ancient African thinkers.
Oh, I could go on and on.....with for example the African origin of philosophy. Thales who was said to be the first Greek philosopher, went to Egypt and studied UNDER THE AUTHORITY OF THE EGYPTIAN PRIEST....even the word "philosophy" is not of Greek or even of IndoEuropean origin. Etymologically, the word is from the ancient African language spoken by the early black Africans commonly called "ancient Egyptians".
For too long now, the European world has sought to take Egypt out of Africa. Later the attempt was to take Africans out of
Egypt!
The European/American intellectual dogma has been dealt a tremendous blow by the work of Diop. After all the lies, distortions and slander of Mother Africa, the Truth, like RA, will emerge out of the foggy darkness of this long, cold and horrible night, to light, warm and rejuvenate the world again- healing and strengthening the wounded hearts.
Read the book-you'll see!!
Don
Peyton

It is a fact that the human race originated in Africa. It is also a fact that civilization originated in the Middle East. So what?

Anyone who has sat in class and was just bored stiff with the disjointed , disconnected way of western teaching and rote memorization will love this one. This is truly the Missing Link… For those of us who have seen and read historical, allegorical and sci-fi epics such as Anthony and Cleopatra, Ben Hur, Sparticus, Julius Caesar, Lawrence of Arabia, The Ten Commandments, the Matrix, Samson and Delilah, all of the Greek Mythology programs (Jason and the Argonauts, Hercules, Troy) etc., etc., know that there was something missing from these shows, and that if the avoided ingredients were placed correctly into the storylines these movies/programs would have been great, because they would have been correct…. Even today if one was to look at the new Sci-fi shows ( Star Wars, Star Trek, Deep Space Nine) and other programs one would see ancient architecture, names , languages and places that is not new at all but the ancient future that has been rehashed.!!!

Of special interest see page 171 and view the ancient buildings prevalent in many of the above listed shows, the links of the ancient population with the current population in chapter VII, the ancient languages that is still used today by the descendants of the kemetic tribes, the same population found indigenous in every corner of the world.

The author is one of the great thinking persons of his time and this influential text should be part of everyone’s library….