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Kara Arvin
AFA 201 TR 12:30-1:45
Iddah Otieno

The Dark Continent Uncovered

The beautiful and plentiful continent, Africa, has been overlooked by Georg Hegel and
Hugh Trevor-Roper and todays society. Africa, known as the Dark Continent(21), has been
accused of negative stereotypes such as underdeveloped(37), violent(37), poor(37),
dangerous(37), and, in general, a hopeless place(42). Those stereotypes have fueled people
into reasoning that Africa is not worth the time to study, because there is no history there besides
the Europeans taking over Africa. While these statements are true in some aspects and areas of
Africa, they are just as true in other places in the world, as well. Society, Hugh Trevor-Roper
and Georg Hegel fail to see how Africa is beautiful(37), friendly(37), vibrant(37), and
completely misunderstood. From the beginning, Precolonial Africa thrived and raised to power
just like any other great nation. Africa has had rises and falls, but has never failed to return to its
feet again. Africa, in fact, is not a dark(21) place at all. Through economical, political, and
socio/cultural practices, Africa thrives.
Africas economics have grown through the surplus of natural resources that are
embedded into the land of Africa. The abundance of gold, spices, cattle, resin and many more
resources has given Africa the opportunity to become a leading nation of the world. Africas
potential throughout history has been hindered though by Europeans who drained Africa of their
economic goods. When Europeans took over Africa, they took away those resources from the

Africans for their own profit. The trade of slaves from Africa inflated Africas economy(190).
The inflation reduced monoculture and made Europeans even more hungry for Africas people,
money, and power. As the Europeans came and took the Africans and their resources, family
members and pride as a continent was also taken. The Europeans took everything possible into
their possession and left them with only words such as savages and ugly. As a society, this
tore into the Africans hearts and only increased the devastation their people were going through.
What needs to be realized is that Africa was and still is not a savage continent, but a victim of
savagery and was torn to pieces. Hugh Trevor-Ropers statement, Perhaps in the future there
will be some African history to teach. But at the present there is none; there is only the history of
Europeans in Africa. The rest is darkness, and darkness is not the subject of history is in fact not
true. Africa has history and a story to tell about how Africa did thrive throughout precolonialism and after Europeans left, is continuing to grow and thrive through one of its best
economic growths.
African politics has nothing less less than an advantage and great potential. Precolonial
Africa politics grew overtime due to trading, production, and consumption. Europeans
eventually saw and began to be hungry for Africas power and began to use and take Africans as
slaves and strip Africa of its resources. The trade of slaves from Africa inflated Africas
economy(190). The inflation reduced monoculture and made Europeans even more hungry for
Africas people, money, and power. After wars, slavery, and colonialism, Africa is finally has the
opportunity to become a leading world power. If states would set aside social, political, and
economical differences and start to work together, Africa would be a force to recon with. Georg
Hegels statement ...it has no movement or development to exhibit . . . . What we properly
understand by Africa, is the Unhistorical, Undeveloped Spirit, still involved in the conditions of

mere nature,.. is in fact not true. As exhibited through Africas political history, Africa has done
nothing but move and develop as a continent. As shown previously, Africa still has work to do,
as does many other societies, but never has Africa given up or given in to be taken over by other
world powers. Africa still thrives to become the best continent it can be.
The disperse of religious beliefs, immigration, and technology across Africa have helped
grow Africa to become a beautiful, diverse, and ever-growing country. Just like any colorful,
diverse culture, Africa has a range of different people, educational opportunities, religion,
traditions, beliefs, and lifestyles. Through Africas culture, Africans have been brought together,
made families, created new traditions, practiced religion together, and overall, created a strong
country. To have a strong political and economical stance, societies have to have a strong society
that is willing to work together to become even stronger. To become a strong society, culture
plays an important role. Africa is excelling and overflowing in a rich, pure culture. Through
same religious practices and beliefs, African states agree to trade with one another and
immigrate, which in return grows Africas economic and political state. This enables Africa to
slowly, but surely rise to power.
By not accepting just a single story of Africa, scholars can unveil the truth about what is
called the Dark Continent(21). Africa is not just a continent full of tribes that are savages, nor
are the people full of disease and underdeveloped(37). Africa is beautiful(37), friendly(37),
vibrant(37), and completely misunderstood by George Hegel and Hugh Trevor-Roper and
society as a whole. The African people are in fact, very intelligent and are becoming a world
power by using their strengths and natural resources. Africa has endured many struggles such as
the colonization by Europeans, but have come to overcome every situation. While Africa has

much work to do, just like any other country, Africa holds on to the hope of a new and brighter
tomorrow.

Works Cited

Keim, Curtis, Abdoulaye Saine, Richard Aidoo, and Steve Hess. "How We Learn and The
Social Construction of Africa and Africans in Western Mass Media." (Re)tracing Africa: A Multidisciplinary Study of African History Societies and Cultures. By Salome Nnoromele and Ogechi
Emmanuel Anyanwu. Dubuque, IA: Kendall Hunt, 2012. 21-50. Print.

Baye, Babacar M. "The Economic, Political, Social Impact of Atlantic Slave Trade of
Africa." (Re)tracing Africa: A Multi-disciplinary Study of African History Societies and Cultures.
By Salome Nnoromele and Ogechi Emmanuel Anyanwu. Dubuque, IA: Kendall Hunt, 2012.
177-90. Print.

Subramoney, Stanley. "Africa Has the Advantage It Now Needs to Win the Game." The
New Partnership for Africa's Development. N.p., 02 June 2010. Web. 02 Dec. 2014.

Kasongo, Michael. "European Expansion and the Scramble for Africa." (Re)tracing
Africa: A Multi-disciplinary Study of African History Societies and Cultures. By Salome
Nnoromele and Ogechi Emmanuel Anyanwu. Dubuque, IA: Kendall Hunt, 2012. 195-207. Print.