You will often hear people say something like this; the African slave trade was a ‘racist, white, patriarchal colonialist institution’, it was the white man’s hatred of the black man that fueled the slave trade. “Wrong!” — Paul Ebeling
Putting aside the fact that the word ‘slave’ developed from ‘Slav’, who were the white eastern Europeans taken as slaves so often their names became synonymous with the institution of slavery in Europe, this idea that the African slave trade was a ‘white, patriarchal, colonial institution’ is both anti-historical and silly.
The Big Q: Did white Europeans start the African slave trade?
The Big A: No. Long before white Europeans engaged in the African slave trade, Muslims, and prior to that Arab slave traders were heavily involved in running Slaves to and from Africa.
The Big Q2: How far does this go back?
The Big A2: At least a few thousand yrs.
Genesis 37:25-28 says this: Then they sat down to eat. And looking up they saw a caravan of Ishmaelites coming from Gilead, with their camels bearing gum, balm, and myrrh, on their way to carry it down to Egypt. Then Judah said to his brothers, “What profit is it if we kill our brother and conceal his blood? Come, let us sell him to the Ishmaelites, and let not our hand be upon him, for he is our brother, our own flesh.” And his brothers listened to him. Then Midianite traders passed by. And they drew Joseph up and lifted him out of the pit, and sold him to the Ishmaelites for 20 shekels of silver. They took Joseph to Egypt.
African slave trade dates back far into ancient times. There is a picture in the London Museum of History which represents Nubians, a north African people and an ancient and at times powerful kingdom, being transported as slaves by Egyptian slave traders.
African slave trade still exists today, long after Colonial rule has been removed from the continent. With open slave markets in Libya and other parts of Africa. And we can safely predict, it will continue on.
To blame the West for the institution of the African slave trade is anit-historical, and blaming it on the idea of “white patriarchy” is just silly.
History always makes a mockery of bad arguments.
If you do not know where to start, begin with the most well-read history ever written, the Bible often verified by Roman Chroniclers throughout the history of the Roman Empire.
Have a prosperous day, Keep the Faith!
