Born in Blackness

In Born in Blackness, Howard W. French presents a major narrative history spanning over six centuries, from the earliest fifteenth-century Portuguese maritime expeditions along the West African coast to the start of the Second World War. Conventional global accounts regularly focus on European expansion while sidelining Africa. French challenges this view directly by detailing how Africa and African labour, wealth, and trade networks served as the foundation for the rise of global commerce and modern political structures.

Moving away from familiar historical assumptions, the book highlights key events and figures across the continent and the wider diaspora. It investigates early West African gold commerce, encounters with European powers, the impact of the transatlantic slave trade, and resistance efforts such as those in the Kingdom of Kongo and revolutionary Haiti. Suitable for university students, educators, and general readers seeking a thorough, well-documented investigation of African history and its influence on global events.