Origins of the African Diaspora

Flashcards summarizing key concepts, terms, and individuals relevant to African American Studies and the history of the African Diaspora.

African American Studies

An interdisciplinary field that analyzes the history, culture, and contributions of people of African descent in the U.S. and the African diaspora.

Interdisciplinary approach

Combines multiple fields of study to provide a comprehensive understanding of complex topics.

Black Campus Movement (1965-1972)

A series of protests led by Black students demanding representation and study opportunities concerning Black history in colleges.

Bantu Expansion

A series of migrations of Bantu-speaking peoples across Africa from 1500 BCE to 500 CE, driven by technological and agricultural innovations.

Geographically diverse

Referring to a region that contains a variety of physical landscapes and climate zones.

Great Zimbabwe

An ancient city in Southern Africa known for its large stone architecture and as a center of trade.

Kongo

A significant historical kingdom in West Central Africa that converted to Christianity and participated in the slave trade.

Syncretic religious practices

Religious practices that blend elements from different faiths, particularly indigenous beliefs, Islam, and Christianity.

Queen Njinga

A queen of Ndongo-Matamba known for her resistance against Portuguese colonization and leadership in military battles.

Mansa Musa

The wealthy ruler of the Mali Empire in the 14th century known for establishing Mali as a center for trade and learning.

Islam in Mali and Songhai

The religion that spread in West Africa through trade and led to political and economic relationships with Portuguese colonizers.

Maritime trade

Trade that takes place on the sea, connecting Africa to various trading partners through coastal routes.

Trans-Saharan commerce

Trade across the Sahara Desert, linking North Africa to sub-Saharan Africa.

Voodoo

A syncretic religion that blends African spiritual practices with Christianity, prominent in Haiti and other Caribbean nations.

Griots

Prestigious historians, storytellers, and musicians in West African cultures who preserve and share a community’s history.

Candomblé

A Afro-Brazilian religion that blends African traditions with elements of Catholicism.

Elmina

A key location in modern Ghana where the Portuguese established trade in gold and human captives.

Nok culture

An ancient civilization in West Africa known for its terracotta sculptures and early iron-working.

Ethiopian Orthodox Church

One of the oldest Christian communities in Africa, distinct for its cultural integration of local traditions.

Kwame Nkrumah

The first President of Ghana, advocate for Pan-Africanism, signifying the political evolution resulting from ancient empires.