Cheikh Anta Diop is known as one of the greatest African scholars in the world. Born in Senegal and educated in France, he was trained to admire a eurocentric world order above others.
Instead, the academic community watched in horror as he betrayed them with the truth.
Diop’s work focused on ancient Egyptian history’s influence on European culture. Contrary to the knowledge available at the time, he exposed how European “accomplishments” were plagiarized from African culture!
European academics had no choice other than to respond. Here’s how it went down.
They loudly opposed Diop’s findings, yet he continued proving Black excellence existed well before Europeans set foot on African soil.
He published several books, all disproving the white supremacist teachings considered the gold standard among scientists. And he didn’t stay safely behind his writing desk either!
Diop was also a vocal advocate of Senegal’s independence from France.
Such an incredibly politically risky position - that the theft of African resources by Europeans was keeping Black people poor and oppressed - was so threatening that he was arrested and tortured until he was nearly dead.
He never gave up his quest, though. Diop continued to unravel white supremacy until his death in 1975.
His work heavily influenced the likes of Huey P. Newton, Malcolm X, and Kwame Nkrumah - and continues to inspire our fight for liberation today!