African Unity

African Unity

In, "The African Slave Trade" author Basil Davidson explains how the slave trade between Europe and Africa eventually led to the unity of Africans, and the birth of African nationalism. However, the birth of nationalism and unity/equality among Africans did not occur the day after the first European slave ship left the coast of Africa; instead, it took many years and many set-backs before Africa united through equality.

Davidson also asserts that Europe benefited from the Euro-African relationship. Davidson goes on, in detail, to show how European kings and persons of nobility would often "entertain" African princeses. The incident, Davidson explains, involves the son of King Annamaboe who was sent on a slave ship by his father and then enslaved by the ship captain. However when the news reached England the king's son was placed into the care of the Earl of Halifax who, "clothed and educated [the son and his companion] in a suitable manner". The only reason England would go to such lengths, such as freeing a "slave", then educating him and treating him as an honored guest and most of all "entertaining" him, is to gain favor with King Annamaboe, who supplied the English with their vital supply of slaves.

I agree with Davidson's final conclusion of African unity. Because the slave trade brought wealth to Africa, but only for a select few. Davidson explains, "the trade unquestionably brought gains to kings and ruling groups who were able to gather its profits; yet these were the gains, much more often than not, of a purely personal accumulation of wealth and of privileged access to consumer imports". Other then the select few who could accumulate wealth and power, the rest of Africa (the conti...

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...h slavery was a great detriment to African societies, it remains that it is one of the only tries that hold all Africans together; and therefore, it can be said that in the long run Africa has united as a result of slavery.

In closing, it seems as though Africa went full circle. By this I mean that pre-Trans Atlantic slave trading Africa was much the same as post-Trans Atlantic slave trading Africa, with one exception, equality and unity. Despite all the set-backs and "damage" done to their societies Africans have persevered and over come their bonds. The amazing and significant fact is that Africans found a way to use the "bad card" they'd been dealt, in a way that eventually gave them the unity and equality they desperately needed and wanted. They have overcome, and finally are united and equal, not only among their fellow Africans but among the Entire World!