Migration & the African Diaspora
Intersections of Identity
Creativity, Expression, and the
Arts
Arts
Resistance & Resilience
100
The major technological and agricultural movement from West and Central Africa to Southern Africa between 1500 BCE and 500 CE.
What is the Bantu expansion (or migration)?
(Topic 1.3)
The Bantu Expansion were a series of migrations of Bantu-speakers across West and Central African. From 1500 BCE to 500 CE, Bantu-speaking peoples migrated across sub-Saharan Africa, spreading their language, culture, and technologies.
Driven by technological (development of iron tools) and agricultural (cultivation of bananas and yams) innovations, the Bantu Expansion reshaped Africa's demographics. This spread the Bantu languages spread widely, influencing local tongues and creating new ones. Today, many African Americans trace their ancestry to Bantu-speaking communities, reflecting the complex history of forced migration during the transatlantic slave trade.
100
African American Studies is ________ because it draws on multiple fields of study.
What is interdisciplinary? (Topic 1.1)
African American Studies is interdisciplinary because it draws on multiple fields—such as history, sociology, anthropology, literature, art, and political science—to fully understand the African American experience. This approach allows for a more complete and nuanced examination of Black life, culture, resistance, and contributions. It actively challenges reductive or stereotypical portrayals by highlighting the complexity, agency, and diversity of African-descended people. For example, instead of only discussing enslavement, it includes African civilizations, resistance movements, cultural innovations, and diasporic connections.
100
West African oral historians who preserved and transmitted the histories, genealogies, and cultural traditions of their people through spoken word and music.
Who were the griots? (Topic 1.6)
Griots were West African oral historians, storytellers, musicians, and advisors to rulers. They preserved and transmitted the histories, genealogies, and cultural traditions of their people through spoken word and music. One of the most famous stories preserved by griots is the Epic of Sundiata, which recounts the life and legacy of Sundiata Keita, the founder of the Mali Empire in the 13th century. Since many African societies were non-literate or used limited writing systems, griots were essential in maintaining a collective memory across generations. Their role highlights the importance of oral tradition in African epistemology and culture.
100
This strike lasted from November 1968 to March 1969 and is considered the longest student strike in U.S. history.
What was the Black Student Strike at San Francisco State University (SFSU)?
The Black Student Strike at San Francisco State University (SFSU) lasted from November 1968 to March 1969 and is considered the longest student strike in U.S. history. Led by the Black Student Union and the Third World Liberation Front, the protest demanded greater representation of African American history, culture, and faculty in the university curriculum. As a result, SFSU created the first Department of Black Studies in the United States. This strike marked a pivotal moment in the Black Campus Movement and helped legitimize African American Studies as an academic discipline. It also connected campus activism with broader civil rights and Black Power movements.
200
Mali's most renowned leader who demonstrated prosperity during his hajj (religious pilgrimage to Mecca) in 1324, distributing gold and extending Mali’s influence across the eastern Mediterranean and Southern Europe.
Who was Mansa Musa? (Topic 1.5)
His power is famously illustrated in the Catalan Atlas, which portrays him as a wealthy African ruler. Beyond its economic success, Mali became a hub of intellectual advancement, with Timbuktu emerging as a center for Islamic scholarship, commerce, and culture.
https://smarthistory.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/05/Catalan-Atlas-full-small-scaled.jpg
200
Extended beyond biological ties to include marriage and social affiliations, serving as the foundation of political and social organization.
What is kinship? (Topic 1.10)
In many African societies, kinship extended beyond biological ties to include marriage and social affiliations, serving as the foundation of political and social organization. Leaders often solidified alliances through intermarriage, fostering loyalty between groups or tribes. These networks ensured the sharing of power, economic cooperation, and mutual defense.
For example, in West African kingdoms like Mali or the Ashanti Empire, kinship ties legitimized leadership and succession, while social bonds shaped communal identity and responsibility.
200
Some of the earliest known examples of figurative art from sub-Saharan Africa was made by this ancient African sociaty.
Who were the Nok? (Topic 1.4)
Emerged around 500 BCE in present-day Nigeria as one of the earliest ironworking societies in West Africa. The Nok is renowned for their distinctive pottery and naturalistic terracotta sculptures which depicted animals and adorned people.
Nok artifacts serve as the oldest surviving evidence of a complex, settled society in sub-Saharan Africa, demonstrating the existence of advanced civilizations in the region long before European contact.
200
A national wave of student activism across U.S. colleges and universities that aimed to challenge institutional racism and demand curricula that reflected Black history, culture, and contemporary issues.
What was The Black Campus Movement (1965–1972)?
The Black Campus Movement (1965–1972) was a national wave of student activism across U.S. colleges and universities that aimed to challenge institutional racism and demand curricula that reflected Black history, culture, and contemporary issues. Through strikes, sit-ins, and negotiations, students—particularly at predominantly white institutions—pushed for the establishment of African American Studies departments and cultural centers. The movement led to the institutionalization of Black Studies in academia, bringing a more interdisciplinary, inclusive, and justice-centered perspective to American education.
300
Southern African city-state traded with Swahili merchants and became a hub for gold, ivory, and cattle
What is Great Zimbabwe? (Topic 1.8)
The Kingdom of Zimbabwe and its capital city, Great Zimbabwe, dominated South Africa from the 12th to 15th centuries. The Shona People who lived in the Kingdom of Zimbabwe became wealthy through trade of gold, ivory, and cattle with its northern maritime trading neighbors, the Swahili.
The capital city of Great Zimbabwe is renowned for its impressive stone architecture, which served both military defense and trade purposes.
300
The blending of Islam/Christianity and indigenous beliefs to form unique cultural identities.
What is religious syncretism? (Topic 1.7)
African societies often integrated Islam and Christianity with indigenous spiritual practices, resulting in syncretic belief systems. For example, in the Sahel and Swahili Coast, Islam was practiced alongside ancestral worship and traditional healing rituals. Christianity in the Kingdom of Kongo incorporated African cosmology and symbols. This blending preserved African cultural identity while adapting to new religious influences. It shows the dynamic and adaptive nature of African spirituality and how religion shaped distinct regional identities.
About one-quarter of the enslaved Africans who arrived in North America came from Christian societies in Africa, and about one-quarter came from Muslim societies in Africa. They brought their syncretic religious and cultural practices, which blended local spiritual practices with Christianity and Islam, from Africa to the Americas.
Examples of West African Spiritual Practices:
- Veneration of the ancestors involves honoring and communicating with deceased family members through offerings, prayers, and rituals
- Divination is the practice of seeking knowledge or guidance from spiritual forces, often through the use of sacred objects or the interpretation of signs and symbols (i.e. cowrie shells, kola nuts, etc.)
- Healing practices in West African and diasporic traditions often involve the use of herbs, roots, and other natural substances believed to have medicinal properties
- Collective singing and dancing are important elements of many West African and diasporic spiritual practices
300
As a symbol of royal authority and spiritual significance, this mask provides valuable insights into the social and political structures of pre-colonial African societies. 
What is the Queen Mother Pendant Mask: Iyoba, Sixteenth Century? (Topic 1.10)
The Queen Mother Pendant Mask represents the power and influence of women in the Benin Empire, particularly the role of the Iyoba or Queen Mother. This exquisite artwork showcases the advanced metalworking techniques and artistic sophistication of West African civilizations, challenging Eurocentric notions of African cultural development.
- Queen Idia, first Iyoba of the Kingdom of Benin
- Iconic symbol of Black women’s leadership
- Famous for the ivory mask of her face was showcased at FESTAC (Second World Black Festival of Arts and Culture).
300
This strategy was utilized by Queen Njinga (or Nzinga Mbande) of Ndongo and Matamba against the Portuguese and their allies.
What was guerrilla warfare?
Queen Njinga (or Nzinga Mbande) of Ndongo and Matamba (in modern-day Angola) was a formidable 17th-century leader known for her diplomatic skill, military strategy, and resistance to Portuguese colonization. After failed negotiations, she led a 30-year guerrilla war against the Portuguese and their allies. Njinga offered sanctuary to escaped slaves and war refugees, converted strategically between Catholicism and indigenous religion to build alliances, and maintained political power in a male-dominated context. Her resistance symbolized African defiance against European imperialism and exploitation, and she remains a celebrated figure in both African and diasporic histories.
400
Central African kingdom that formed an alliance with Portugal through Christianity and later became involved in the transatlantic slave trade?
What is the Kingdom of Kongo? (Topic 1.9)
In 1491, following contact with the Portuguese, King Nzinga a Nkuwu (João I) and his son Nzinga Mbemba (Afonso I) voluntarily converted the Kingdom of Kongo to Roman Catholicism. This conversion not only fostered a unique blend of traditional Kongo religious beliefs with Catholicism, forming a distinct branch of African Catholicism (incorporated elements of Christianity and local aesthetic and cultural traditions), but also strengthened trade relations and diplomatic ties with the Portuguese.
400
Six roles of women in precolonial African societies.
What were mothers, farmers, spiritual leaders, political advisors, educators, and merchants? (Topic 1.10)
Women in precolonial African societies held diverse and often powerful roles. In many societies, women were responsible for market trade and food production, vital to economic stability. Additionally, women held spiritual and political authority, as priestesses or queen mothers, influencing decision-making and cultural practices. This multifaceted participation challenges Western narratives that overlook women's leadership in African history.
Example of Women’s Roles:
- Igbo priestesses presided over religious ceremonies
- Yoruba oracles and diviners interpreted messages from the gods.
- Akan Queen mothers counseled their sons on governance
- Hausa female merchants organized caravans across the Sahara
- Fulani female farmers raised cattle and poultry
400
This coin depicting King Ezana provides tangible evidence of the advanced civilization and economic power of the ancient Kingdom of _________.
What is Aksum? (Topic 1.4)
The Aksumite coin depicting King Ezana provides tangible evidence of the advanced civilization and economic power of the ancient Kingdom of Aksum. Located in present-day Ethiopia and Eritrea, Aksum was a major trading empire that minted its own currency, demonstrating sophisticated political and economic systems in early African history.
King Ezana's reign marked a significant turning point as he converted to Christianity, making Aksum one of the earliest Christian kingdoms in the world. This coin represents the blending of indigenous African traditions with new religious influences, illustrating the complex cultural exchanges and evolutions occurring in Northeast Africa during late antiquity.
400
In a series of letters to the Portuguese king, this ruler of the Kingdom of Kongo protested the growing slave trade, which was devastating his kingdom.
Who was King Nzinga Mbemba (also known as Afonso I)?
(Topic 1.9)
King Nzinga Mbemba (also known as Afonso I) ruled the Kingdom of Kongo in the early 16th century and was a devout Christian ally of Portugal. In a series of letters to the Portuguese king, Afonso protested the growing slave trade, which was devastating his kingdom. He accused Portuguese merchants of illegally enslaving his subjects, including nobles and free citizens, and undermining his authority. These letters reveal how African leaders tried to resist the exploitative aspects of European contact and sought to control their political and religious relationships with Europeans. Despite his appeals, the transatlantic slave trade intensified, contributing to the destabilization of the Kongo kingdom.
Summary of the document:
- Excessive freedom given to foreign merchants is harming the Kingdom
- Quote: "Your Highness should know how our Kingdom is being lost in so many ways that it is convenient to provide for the necessary remedy, since this is caused by the excessive freedom given by your agents and officials to the men and merchants"
- Explanation: The author is concerned that foreign merchants have too much liberty to trade in the Kingdom, which is causing various problems.
- Abundance of foreign goods is undermining local authority
- Quote: "many of our vassals, whom we had in obedience, do not comply because they have the things in greater abundance than we ourselves"
- Explanation: The influx of foreign goods is weakening the Kingdom's control over its subjects, as they no longer depend on the local rulers for these items.
- Slave trade is depopulating the country
- Quote: "the mentioned merchants are taking every day our natives, sons of the land and the sons of our noblemen and vassals and our relatives"
- Explanation: Foreign merchants are engaging in slave trade, kidnapping locals, including nobles and their relatives, leading to a significant population decrease.
- Request to limit imports to essential religious items
- Quote: "we need from those Kingdoms no more than some priests and a few people to reach in schools, and no other goods except wine and flour for the holy sacrament"
- Explanation: The author wants to restrict imports to only what is necessary for religious purposes, in an attempt to curb the negative effects of trade.
- Appeal to ban slave trade
- Quote: "it is our will that in these Kingdoms there should not be any trade of slaves nor outlet for them"
- Explanation: The author explicitly requests a ban on the slave trade within the Kingdom.
- Kidnapping of nobles and free people for slave trade
- Quote: "they kidnap even noblemen and the sons of noblemen, and our relatives, and take them to be sold to the white men who are in our Kingdoms"
- Explanation: The author describes how even high-status individuals are being kidnapped and sold into slavery, highlighting the severity of the situation.
- Difficulty in enforcing laws against slave trade
- Quote: "when they are carried to be embarked, if they are caught by our guards' men the whites allege that they have bought them but they cannot say from whom"
- Explanation: The author explains the challenges in preventing slave trade, as foreign traders claim to have legally purchased slaves without providing evidence.
500
The physical features, including 5 climate zones and major rivers, influenced African settlement and trade patterns.
(Topic 1.2)
- Desert (e.g., The Sahara)
- Extremely high temperatures and little rainfall
- Semiarid (e.g., The Sahel)
- Slightly more precipitation than deserts but still relatively dry conditions
- Savannah Grasslands
- Span much of the continent, featuring a mix of grasses and scattered trees with seasonal rainfall patterns
- Tropical Rainforests
- Near the equator, receive abundant rainfall year-round, supporting dense vegetation and biodiversity
- The Mediterranean Zone
- Exists in parts of North Africa and the southern tip of the continent, with mild, wet winters and hot, dry summers
- Five major rivers connect regions across Africa's interior
- Niger River flows through West Africa (Guinea, Mali, Niger, Benin, Nigeria)
- Congo River traverses Central Africa (Democratic Republic of the Congo, Republic of the Congo)
- Zambezi River runs through Southern Africa (Angola, Namibia, Botswana, Zambia, Zimbabwe, Mozambique)
- Orange River winds through Southern Africa (Lesotho, South Africa, Namibia)
- Nile River, the world's longest river, extends from East Africa to the Mediterranean Sea (Uganda, Sudan, South Sudan, Egypt)
500
A 17th-century warrior-queen and diplomat who resisted Portuguese colonial encroachment
Who was Queen Njinga (also spelled Nzinga) of Ndongo and Matamba (modern-day Angola)?
(Topic 1.10)
Known for her intelligence and adaptability, she negotiated treaties, led armies, and formed alliances with other African powers. Her successful reign and strategic brilliance inspired a lineage of female leadership in her region, with women ruling for over a century after her death. She is a symbol of resistance, diplomacy, and the enduring influence of African women in leadership.
Njinga's reign challenges Eurocentric narratives of African history, showcasing the presence of powerful female leadership and sophisticated political structures in pre-colonial Africa. Her legacy continues to inspire discussions on African resistance to colonialism, gender roles in traditional societies, and the complexities of African-European relations during the early modern period.
500
This Triple Crucifix from the Kingdom of ________, demonstrates the development of African Catholicism, a syncretic faith that merged European Christian theology with African spiritual practices and aesthetics.
What is Kongo?
The Triple Crucifix image represents a powerful symbol of African American religious syncretism during the era of slavery. It blends Christian iconography with African spiritual traditions, demonstrating how enslaved people maintained connections to their cultural heritage while adapting to forced religious conversion. This artifact illuminates the complex ways African Americans navigated and reshaped Christianity under oppressive conditions. It serves as a testament to the resilience and creativity of enslaved communities, who forged unique religious practices that sustained them through generations of bondage and laid foundations for distinct African American Christian traditions.
500
Enslaved Africans maintained their culture in the Americas through these forms of cultural resistance.
What are music, religion, language, and traditions?
Explanation: Enslaved Africans kept culture alive through spirituals, secret languages (e.g., Gullah), and religious syncretism (e.g., Vodou in Haiti).