Black People Before Slavery

Their tribes, empires, enslavement of Europe, intellect,
and wars with hostile nations
WHAT WE WERE BEFORE WE ARE TODAY

In the quest for an identity Investigative research into the events before and during slavery may reveal the hidden identity of African Americans; who have, as a result of a lack of an identity, been known over the years as: Negro, Negroid, Afro-Americans, Colored, Blacks, Coons, Mulattos, and more. 

The method of research is focused on the idea that the name Black and Negro being applied to African Americans is a byproduct of slavery. So, to fine the real identity of Black Americans, it is only logical to research what they were collectively identified as before they were made slaves.

With most accounts stating that Africans were predominantly from Western Africa, research into the Kingdoms and Empires of west Africa is vital to the discovery of the Black identity.

The word “black” itself can be dated from the Old English spelling “blæc.” According to Albert Croll Baugh a professor of English at the University of Pennsylvania, best known as the author of a textbook for History of the English language, old English existed at a time period of 450 to 1150 and around 85% of Old English words are no longer in use, but those that survived are the basic elements of Modern English vocabulary. The original meaning of the word black, is derived from the root word bhleg. The same root produced Middle English blake "pale," from Old English blac "bright, shining, glittering, pale;" the connecting notions being, perhaps, "fire" (bright) and "burned" (dark), or perhaps "absence of color" “pale, colourless, wan, and livid.” (See Noah Websters American Dictionary on the English language 1828.)

The modern spelling of “black” appears in Middle English. Some scholars have defined "Early Middle English" as encompassing English texts up to 1350 and “Middle English” spanning from the 1400s to 1540s where modern English began. Other words used to describe dark-skinned people were other adjectives such as “swarthy” which meant dark, dirty, wicked, filthy, vile and mean. This notion of dark and wicked has also appeared in defining black. Perhaps this connotation of dark-skinned people being wicked is how the modern meanings of black have emerged, as the original meaning of pale would be more fitting for what we consider as a “white person,” who is literally pale or in a modern sense, colorless.

The meaning "dark-skinned person, African" is from 1620s (perhaps late 13c., and blackamoor is from 1540s). See https://www.etymonline.com/word/black?utm_source=app and https://www.etymonline.com/word/nigger

Contents
Black Identity..............................................................................................................................2
Prisoners of War..........................................................................................................................8
African Tribes...........................................................................................................................29
The West African (Barbary) Wars & The Berlin Conference......................................................53
We must revisit claims made by Prophet Noble Drew................................................................67

Marschalk believed he was a Moor, and, in fact, "belong[ed] to the royal family of
Morocco." Page 89 … On the day he received the communications, Mullowny visited the
emperor's pasha and laid them before him. "I received through the department of State a letter written in Arabic," he wrote. "The intention of the letter[-writer] appears to me to
prove he is a Moor, as [the text] is taken from the Qur'an to excite an exertion for his relief. Page 100 … At the printing office Thomas gave the colonel a deed in trust for the prince. "I, Thomas Foster, a citizen of Adams County in the State of Mississippi," the document read, "at present the owner of the slave named Prince, have this day delivered unto Andrew Marschalk of the city of Natchez and state aforesaid, the custody of the said slave Prince, for the sole and only purpose of his being transported to his native country by the government of the United States. ..." "Moor" was interlined before "slave," page 108 … The African had been admitted while Adams was with Secretary of the Navy Samuel Southard. The portly Southard would be responsible for Ibrahima's transportation overseas. He knew about the movement of American ships to Africa and was friendly with officials of the Colonization Society, which sent vessels to its Liberian colony on an erratic basis. In his diary Adams wrote, "Abdel Rahman is a Moor, otherwise called Prince or Ibrahim, who has been forty years a slave in this country. Page 119 … Washington, 5th June, 1828 The bearer hereof, Prince, is a Moor, reduced to captivity near a half century ago. The Executive of the United States, has obtained him from his master, with a view of restoring him to his friends and country. Page 129… Oh! Fellow Citizens of Louisiana and Mississippi, all ye people of the south, prepare yourselves for the dreadful scenes that now await you, for deny it as ye may, it is well known that Prince is now marching at the head of his Black Troops with the Moorish Cimeter at his side, page 150…