Post by nebsen on Nov 23, 2014 6:18:45 GMT -5
This is a debate between Dr. Henrick Clarke along with Martin Barnal (Black Athena) vs Mary Lefkowitz ( Not Out Of Africa)"fame. I'm not sure when this debate happened I would guess early 90's. I have seen bits & parts of this very important debate which is over over 2 hours . I know this debate is about 20 years old, but a lots of what is being said & debated is still very relevant today ! What has happened that we do not have these kinds of debates with new voices & scholars like S.O.Y. Ketia with the film "Gods & Kings" coming out in Dec. there should be debates across America concerning this film with scholars, on both sides, on ancient Egypt & Africa. This is a missed opportunity to inform !
As a side note, I give Mary Lefkowitz, & her male colleague credit for showing up to this debate with a mostly Black audience( hostile) towards her, for good reasons. Martin Barnal" Black Athena" which i read in the 90's was a milestone in helping shape the debate about Black Egypt & her influence on the Mediterranean world esp. Greece. At the time of this debates taping, the concept of" Afrocentrism, or Afrocentric" was a hotly contested word & field of study, so in many ways, this debate is a history lesson of the late 20th century & how Black ancient history was looked at. Dr Clarke, while not as polished, in his presentation, as Dr. Lefkowitz & her colleague or Bernal, who were partners with Dr Clarke, in this debate, nerveless had the advantage of depth of knowledge, history as a Black man, & wisdom on his side. In many ways I miss the 90's for many things were being shaken up around the area of ancient Egypt & Africa as a whole . It seems that the masses have been lulled back to sleep in the beginning of the 21 Century concerning these topics.