Howard French wrote the book "Born in Blackness" to reframe the story of medieval and emerging Africa and demonstrate how the economic ascendancy of Europe, the anchoring of democracy in the West, and the fulfillment of so-called Enlightenment ideals all grew out of Europe’s dehumanizing engagement with Africa. The book is a sweeping narrative spanning more than six centuries that reframes the story of Africa and Africans and shows how almost all the institutions and practices emblematic of the modern economy, the sources of the wealth of Europe and North America, and the emergence of original cultural forms so essential to modern life are all traceable to Africa.
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