Not sure if anyone has seen it or not, but on my youtube, a video popped up on my feed of people reacting to a video about the world history of slavery. The information was taken from Thomas Sowell's book Black Rednecks and White Liberals where he has a chapter that has a nice condensed overview of slavery in the world where he goes over Europeans who were enslaved, all the slavery going on with Africa and the fact they sold the slaves to the Europeans, slavery in the Middle East/Ottoman Empire, and more.
It kind of made me sad that all of the people were shocked and didn't seem to have any idea about slavery outside of the U.S., and there was one black lady in particular who (now I can't read minds but it seemed like it) seemed to be disappointed because I guess the video took away slavery from her as a unique element of victim status. I would hope something like that would open some eyes, but I'm doubtful.
As I've stated before I think slavery should be taught from a global perspective, although for young people a basic overall history of the United States would be good but I have reached a point where I think if you want to know in depth histories of different groups you can take an elective or read up on it for yourself.
It really is a shame how so many people are clueless about the history of the world and endlessly talk about America's past as if slavery/land conquest is something unique to this country. I remember during the 4th of July in 2020 Trump gave a speech at Mt. Rushmore, and CNN mentioned that it was land taken from the Sioux tribe (of course they never mentioned that when Obama spoke there) somebody mentioned in the article comments that the Sioux had conquered another tribe to gain that land. I'm not trying to justify past actions but I guess I am just tired of this narrow minded focus and some people today can't just learn history and move forward.
Sorry for the long rant.
Just going to point that there were some black people recorded in France at one point, but that was I think 1800+, and it was still so uncommon that they recorded their existence simply because they were black, wow look we have a black nun or a black man serving a knight. So I find it very hard to believe that black people were common in Europe.
Blacks in Europe.
Simultaniously 30% of the population and also so rare that they were kept in zoos as spectacles barey more than a century ago.
I remember reading an article about it and yes blacks would’ve been rare in Europe in the Middle Ages. The article said mostly they would’ve been in Southern Europe which makes sense due to proximity to Africa and I know Roman Empire extended into Africa so I could see some traveling to Europe. Also some European kingdoms has Mansa Musa on their maps. Some but not a ton like modern day period pieces would have you believe. Modern day period pieces are absurd. So yes I’m sure there were a few but not a crazy number
People underestimate how little people moved. They also never make it with sense, maybe there were black people in the Middle Ages but it was incredibly rare but modern day writers put them like it is normal and accepted to see black people in the Middle Ages. It always feels forced. People would have reacted, even now if you go in Eastern Europe as a black guy you will see people look at you funny. Not to mention everyone would assume you are foreign visiting. This in a time where black people are constantly on TV, including in Eastern Europe. So I am to assume that in a period where 99,9999% of the population never seen a black men in their lives would react normally when seeing one?
I've seen gypsies reacting on how black some black people are but white people in Middle Ages are suppose to act like it was normal.