The Situation of African-Americans in America .
In their motherland Africa, black people lived together in tribes with the families staying together in the village and leading a live according to strong morals and rites. Each tribe had developed a culture and often an own language, and the people either prayed to their own Gods or (especially in north and central Africa) followed the teachings of the Koran. .
But in the eyes of most Europeans, all Africans were ignorant, pagan savages who needed to be introduced to Christianity and Western civilisation. When America was discovered in 1492, Europeans soon realised that Africans were more able to work in the hot sun than native Americans and were also easier to identify as slaves than white prisoners because of their skin-colour. Slave-trade quickly became one of the most flourishing businesses. About 7 million Africans survived the olocaust Atlantic slave-trade". About 50 % of the kidnapped Africans died during the journey. .
The first Africans were brought to the USA in 1619. Africans were kidnapped (often by other tribes, in Africa slavery had existed before the white man entered Africa), treated like animals or even worse, and brought to the USA in chains. This promised land" promised them a life in slavery and fear of torture and whippings. In the US, Blacks were a minority, making 10 to 20 % of the population. .
While Whites looked back proudly on their achievements in history and culture, Blacks were denied their identity. Their kingdoms and complex societies were ignored in the white man's interpretation of history, there were few publications about their culture and history. Instead, Whites created an image of Africa that was one of a jungle full of ignorant savages, living together in uncivilised tribes. Blacks finally accepted this picture conveyed especially by the white press. They rejected their origin and built up feelings of shame and self-hatred.
