Surprising truths about African history, science, and culture — facts you were never taught.
Did you know that the Ge'ez script, used in Ethiopia and Eritrea, is one of the oldest alphabets still in use in the world, with evidence suggesting its development as early as the 5th century BC?
Did you know that the Ishango bone, dating back over 20,000 years and found in present-day Democratic Republic of Congo, suggests early understanding of arithmetic and mathematical concepts?
Did you know that Timbuktu, Mali, was a thriving center of learning in the 14th-16th centuries, boasting universities like Sankore that rivaled those in Europe?
Did you know that the University of Sankoré in Timbuktu, Mali, was one of the world's first universities, flourishing in the 14th-16th centuries?
Did you know that the University of Sankore in Timbuktu, Mali, was one of the world's first universities, flourishing as a center of learning in the 14th century, attracting scholars from Africa, the Middle East, and Europe?
Did you know that Igbo Landing is the historical site where a group of enslaved Igbo people in 1803 chose death over slavery, collectively drowning themselves rather than submit to bondage?
Did you know that the city of Timbuktu, in present-day Mali, was a renowned center of learning and scholarship during the 15th and 16th centuries, housing universities and libraries that rivaled those in Europe?
Did you know that ancient Egyptians were pioneers in prosthetic technology, crafting functional artificial limbs as early as 3000 years ago?
Did you know that ancient Egyptians performed complex surgeries, including brain surgery, as early as 3000 BCE?
Did you know that Igbo Landing, in Dunbar Creek, Georgia, is the site of a mass suicide by enslaved Igbo people in 1803, who chose death over a life of enslavement, symbolizing resistance and the indomitable spirit of freedom?
Did you know that ancient Nubians, thousands of years ago, performed sophisticated eye surgery, including cataract removal, centuries before similar practices emerged in Europe?
Did you know that Queen Nzinga of Ndongo and Matamba (modern-day Angola) fiercely resisted Portuguese colonization for nearly 40 years through strategic alliances and military leadership?