Criar uma unidade africana através da história: a questão da origem dos antigos egípcios na historiografia pan-africanista de Cheikh Anta Diop

Abstract

This article addresses the historiographical proposition of Cheikh Anta Diop (1923-1986) to cement African unity through the construction of the idea of a common past, dating back to Ancient Egypt, and a set of cultural factors shared by African civilizations from Antiquity to contemporary times. I analyze “Origin of ancient Egyptians,” a text presented by Diop in 1974 at a UNESCO colloquium, and Black Nations and Culture, a book published in 1955. In both works, Diop defends the thesis that ancient Egyptians were Black. Here, I will explore the context of production of Diop's work, referring to the intellectual environment in which he formulated his ideas, his political activities, and the international context in which he lived. I will discuss the impact of his work and what inspiration we can draw from it, in addition to the criticism that can also be made.