Cheikh Anta Diop, a Senegalese historian, anthropologist, and physicist, is known for his groundbreaking work on the history of ancient Egypt and its connection to Africa. Diop's most famous work, Nations nègres et culture (Negritude and Culture), published in 1954, challenged the prevailing Eurocentric view of African history and civilization.
Diop argued that humanity originated in Africa, specifically in the Great Lakes region, encompassing Tanzania, Ethiopia, Kenya, and the Oromo Valley. He maintained that ancient Egyptians, who were Black Africans, were the originators of philosophy, mathematics, and medicine. He further asserted that Greek civilization, while the foundation of Western civilization, drew its knowledge from ancient Egypt.
Diop's work was met with resistance, particularly in colonial France. His ideas were seen as a threat to the established narrative of European superiority and the justification for colonization. He faced criticism from those who clung to the colonial mindset and those who sought to maintain the status quo.
However, Diop's work gained recognition and support from prominent figures like Aimé Césaire, a leading figure in the Negritude movement. Césaire hailed Diop's book as the most audacious work by a Black person to date, and one that would undoubtedly contribute to Africa's awakening.
In 1970, Diop was invited by René Maheu, Director-General of UNESCO, to contribute to the writing of a General History of Africa. Diop set conditions for his participation, demanding that the work address the ancient history of Africa, including the origins of ancient Egyptians. He also insisted on a conference with leading Egyptologists worldwide, held in Cairo, Egypt, two years prior to the project's commencement.
The conference, held in Cairo from January 28 to February 3, 1974, brought together scientists from America, Europe, and Africa. Diop and his disciple, Congolese historian Théophile Obenga, made a significant impact. Despite initial resistance, the conference's final report acknowledged the Black and linguistic roots of Pharaonic Egypt, confirming that ancient Egyptians were Black Africans and their language was not Semitic but rather Afro-African.
Diop's work, along with the conference's findings, marked a turning point in the understanding of African history. It challenged the colonial narrative and paved the way for a more accurate and inclusive understanding of Africa's contributions to world civilization.