American textbooks are very reluctant to talk about how much impact and how advanced African culture and medicine were. We hear about diseases like smallpox and how they affected American society at the time. Still, I wasn’t aware of the fact that in Africa, there were folk treatments for smallpox that were probably better than American medicine. I found it fascinating that a man named Panpan created a cure for syphilis and yaws, but he was also an enslaved man. Reading this makes me wonder if he’s only getting credit now because of how unjust the times were back then. Similar to PanPan, another man named Cesar, who was also enslaved, created multiple antidotes to poisons and ill wills.
I think that these facts should be In American school textbooks; as an African American, I feel like it should be imperative for children like me to know their history. The accomplishments of enslaved Africans are incredible, and this history should be well-known. Thankfully, family members hold on to these holistic practices, so I understand the holistic approach to medicine. I see that their gifts in medicine helped the development of medicine in America, and after reading the whole article, I know that it is not just medicine but also food, music, and dance. Africa has influenced America so much; when will we see recognition and praise for the Black influence?
Well Sasha, you spoke nothing but the truth from the title of your blog to the very last sentence of your blog. We should all ask the question, When will Africa get its Credit? I had no idea that the smallpox vaccine was started by an African slave and that they granted him his freedom due to the many white lives he saved. I have never read about "Panpan" in any history book. It is a travesty to keep this kind of knowledge hidden from a culture that is grasping for things to be proud of. I look forward to reading more of your thoughts.
Nothing but truth. Blacks are depicted in books as nothing but slaves and workers. We hear about their struggle much more than their accomplishments. History book after history book after history book and they are say the same thing: African Americans were slaves. After reading a Holloway text, I don't think I believe the terms "Black" and "African American" are interchangeable. Black is merely the color of their skin. African is who they are are their culture, whilst American is the land and the thieves.