This paper challenges the claim that "African-Americans created themselves" — a statement the author argues dismisses the rich cultural and historical legacy of Black Americans. Drawing on the stories of figures such as historian Arthur Schomburg, the paper surveys the achievements of ancient African civilizations, including Ethiopia, Egypt, and Ghana, to establish a foundation of African heritage. It then examines the particular brutality of American slavery and the persistence of racism, before concluding that African Americans possess a deep, layered identity rooted in both Africa and North America.
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The paper employs a classic refutation structure: it states the opposing claim, deconstructs its logical implications, and then marshals historical evidence to disprove it section by section. This technique — claim, deconstruction, counter-evidence — is a foundational argumentative strategy in humanities writing.
The paper opens by framing the central claim and its harmful implications, uses the Schomburg anecdote as a bridge into the argument, surveys three major African civilizations to establish historical depth, addresses American slavery as a distinct chapter in African American history, and closes by returning to the original claim and offering a synthesizing reflection on what African American identity means today.
The false and misleading notion that "African-Americans created themselves" completely ignores and invalidates the rich history of those whose ancestry lies in the great African continent. While African-Americans have adopted and incorporated many cultures into their own — not unlike any other cultural group in America — that in no way signifies that African-Americans have no culture or history of their own.
"Black people have no history, no heroes, no great moments." This was told to a young Arthur Schomburg by his fifth-grade teacher. Schomburg, with both African and Puerto Rican ancestry, went on to become a great historian and curator of African American history, helping to dispel the very "truth" his teacher had tried to impress upon him about his own history and culture years earlier. The statement that "African-Americans created themselves" simply means that the Black American is devoid of history and a culture to call his own. It implies that African-Americans lack deep ancestral roots or any significant accomplishments to offer society. For that statement to be true, it would have to apply equally to all inhabitants of America who cannot call North America their native land.
The claim is significant in that it reflects a mindset that seeks to devalue the Black American experience and the connections African-Americans have to great African civilizations. Those who believe that African-Americans have no real history lend no credence to the weight and horror of slavery — which is as much a part of African American history as are the great accomplishments of Black Africans. This is the same mindset that gave birth to, and made it legal to count, Black people as three-fifths of a person.
Many great African civilizations existed and accomplished feats that still astound historians and scientists to this day. Ethiopia, located in central-east Africa, is the site of the oldest known human ancestors — meaning that people from all over the world ultimately originated in Africa. Ethiopia is among the oldest independent countries in the world and the first African country to mint coins. Archaeologists believe it is the site of the origins of humankind, the location of the world's earliest civilizations, kingdoms, and governments, and among the first societies to establish agriculture and grain cultivation.
Egypt, another great African civilization, holds a deep source of proud history and culture for African-Americans. The Pyramids of Egypt represent one of the greatest architectural feats in human history and are the only surviving wonder among the original Seven Wonders of the World. While having a woman ruler in the present-day United States is still considered a remarkable achievement, ancient Egypt had female rulers long before any modern women's movement — Hatshepsut being one of the most famous female pharaohs. Egypt is also credited with being the origin of instruments such as the flute, oboe, clarinet, and trumpet.
Ghana, a West African civilization, was home to a prosperous people who achieved wealth through trade and mining. Ghana operated a system of taxation that bears some resemblance to tax systems used today. It was a major hub of commerce in ancient times, leveraging control over the Senegal and Niger rivers, which were vital arteries of trade during that era.
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