The True Historical Narrative: Including African Women Within the Western historical narrative, the years 1400 to 1700 stand as a time of exploration, but also of dark conquest and slavery. European navigators sought to maintain economic advances, both in overseas countries like India and Africa, but also later in the United States colonies. Where the historical narrative falls short in its telling of this time period is in who it includes within its events. That is, the influential roles of African women go neglected and unheard. African women have maintained impactful roles throughout the 1400s to 1700s in many different ways. From becoming the most powerful individuals in the African trade marketplace, to resisting enslavement through coordinating
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An excerpt from Wake is included in my visual, where African women are conspiring to rebel against their capturers. Dialogue between two women, Adono and Alele, is depicted. Alele says, “Adono-you know we will die here”, to which Adono responds, “We are already dead, Alele. At least let us die together” (Wake 23). This is an incredibly powerful passage, illustrating how African women knew the fate that lay before them, yet still chose to resist it, even if their alternative fate was an even earlier death. It highlights how African women were not silent and compliant, rather, they were fierce and defiant. How African women wanted to be heard. Examining the history of African women in the years 1400 to 1700 through visuals unveils a narrative often overlooked: African women were not passive members of history, rather, they were active agents of resistance and defiance. The entrepreneurship of African women indicates their intelligence in knowing how to gain respect and privilege in Africa. African women were at the forefront of African trade markets, acquiring their own wealth, their own dignity, and their own
An excerpt from Wake is included in my visual, where African women are conspiring to rebel against their capturers. Dialogue between two women, Adono and Alele, is depicted. Alele says, “Adono-you know we will die here”, to which Adono responds, “We are already dead, Alele. At least let us die together” (Wake 23). This is an incredibly powerful passage, illustrating how African women knew the fate that lay before them, yet still chose to resist it, even if their alternative fate was an even earlier death. It highlights how African women were not silent and compliant, rather, they were fierce and defiant. How African women wanted to be heard. Examining the history of African women in the years 1400 to 1700 through visuals unveils a narrative often overlooked: African women were not passive members of history, rather, they were active agents of resistance and defiance. The entrepreneurship of African women indicates their intelligence in knowing how to gain respect and privilege in Africa. African women were at the forefront of African trade markets, acquiring their own wealth, their own dignity, and their own