This site, dedicated to African Centered ("Afrocentric") Egyptology, is intended to serve as an alternative to conventional Egyptology. Conventional Egyptologists, with rare exceptions, tend to treat the subject as if Africans (Black) had very little to do with the civilization of Ancient Kemet (Egypt). Because of a prevailing "European continental chauvinism", Greece and Rome are viewed as the true fonts of Western Civilization; Egypt, though one of the two earliest civilizations, is not to be seen as one (a true civilization) in the western sense of the word (Bernal, 1987). The Greeks are always viewed as a noble group that exceeded the mundane world of primitive repetitive tradition and superstition, and consequently, are to be seen as those responsible for elevating mankind into a now modern world of reason.

Many scholars, past and present, have come to reject the above view. Since the beginning of the current century, although there were some in the century before, African American scholars have taken a different view on this subject. During the 1920's and early 30's (also called the Harlem Renaissance) these scholars increased in numbers and a major challenge to conventional history began to emerge. Lead by legendary historians and writers such as Author A. Schomburge (Sinnette, 1989) and Herbert Henry Harrison (Jackson, 1987), many Black scholars moved to show, not only the African roots of Ancient Egypt and Ethiopia, but also, the extensive impact these and other African nations have had on the foundatons of Western Civilization. Schomburge wrote in a paper entitled The Negro Digs Up His Past (Locke, 1992): "The American Negro must remake his past in order to make his future." Schomburge was a mostly self taught scholar while others like William Leo Hansberry (1977), Carter G. Woodson (1976), and W.E.B. DuBois (1946) all managed to receive formal educations at prominent colleges.

Because of past controls over media outlets, most people, including many Blacks, know little or nothing about the arguments and contributions of these prolific writers and historians. Some African Americans seem to think that, some how, they are naturally endowed with all there is to know about Black people at birth. Social activist Dick Gregory once said (to paraphrase), being black makes you no more an authority on black people than being sick makes you an authority on medicine. The current technology explosion is now making it possible to reach beyond the boring and intellectually challenged national network programming to a more informed international audience of technology users.

In the tradition of those scholars who have paved the way for us, this site is here to provide a valuable tool to a world community hungry for alternative information about Kemet. It will offer a challenge to traditional scholarship and bring the focus of our arguments to the international community. The site, along with its journal, will promote the need for community participation on every level. In our quest to detail the many contributions of Africa to Western Civilization, we will encourage participation and articles from all segments of the community (from elementary students to college professors and lay persons alike).

- MATHU ATER -