Question

Discuss the controversies concerning the racial identity of ancient Egyptians. What is the significance of this controversy for the history of African-Americans?

Answer 1

One of the main controversies concerning the race of Ancient Egyptians is determining whether or not to regard their history as "African History" since Egypt is located in what is now Africa. Most ancient historians do NOT discuss Egyptian history as African history, but rather as isolated or, in later periods, in tandem with Near Eastern and Mediterranean history. This is because Egypt was more or less cut off from sub-Saharan or Western Africa for most of its existence. Instead, Egyptians interacted most closely with Nubians and Near Eastern peoples.

This is controversial because Egypt was the birthplace of civilization. Many African-Americans find it Eurocentric that Egypt is lumped together with Western History. Instead, they would argue Egypt be discussed as uniquely African and civilization as an African, rather than a Western, invention. There is basis for this argument as well. Egyptians were most closely tied to Nubians (to their South) by means of trade and warfare. Additionally, while Egyptians had no categorical concept of race, they were most definitely not white and instead more closely resembled Africans of today.

In all, it is a difficult concept. On the one hand, anthropology and archaeology have historically been quite racist, European inventions and thus it should not be surprising how ancient historians regard Egypt today. But on the other hand, Egypt was very much connected to the Near East and, at that time, there was in fact no concept of "Africa" as a geographic space.