Black Royalty and Explorers: African Influence in America
- Daphne, FNDR of Tough Convos
- Feb 27
- 6 min read
Updated: Mar 16
Did Black history in the Americas begin with slavery? That’s the commonly held view. However, there is plenty of evidence to the contrary, thanks to a significant Black presence in early America that helped shape culture and society.
This post will explore historical Black leadership and resistance. We'll learn about African monarchs, early Black explorers, and other figures in America, and discover their achievements.
We’ll also look at African resistance leaders who championed justice and find out how their legacy influenced Black leaders. Table of Contents:
African Monarchs: Kings and Queens of Justice and Resistance
African history is made up of the stories of prominent figures from Black royalty. These African kings and queens resisted oppression and upheld justice. Their combined actions and legacy have created a blueprint for Black leaders in America.
Taharqa was a pharaoh who ruled in the 25th dynasty of Egypt between 744 and 656 BC and was famed for his fierce military campaigns to protect his kingdom. He also worked hard to revive classical traditions, which boosted Egyptian identity.
The Roman Emperor Caracalla, also known as Marcus Aurelius Antoninus, issued the Edict of Caracalla in 212 AD, which granted Roman citizenship to all free men in the empire. This bold move meant that people who had been marginalized before could now enjoy legal protection.
The founder of the Mali Empire in the 13th century, Sundiata Keita was known for his inclusive leadership. He founded the Manden Charter, a constitution that promoted human rights and diversity. Its legacy lives on since it holds UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity status today.
Queen Philippa of Hainault was a Black queen of England, the spouse of King Edward III who reigned in the 14th century. Queen Philippa was respected for her wisdom, diplomacy, and her role in the Hundred Years’ War between England and France.
Alessandro de’ Medici, the Duke of Florence in the 16th century, was the first Black head of state in Renaissance Europe. He challenged the political norms of the time and was also dedicated to promoting science and the arts.
Queen Nzinga of Ndongo and Matamba, in modern-day Angola, was known as a warrior queen. She is famed for resisting Portuguese colonization in the 17th century and fighting for the rights of her people and herself, as a legitimate monarch.
Queen Charlotte of Mecklenburg-Strelitz was married to King George III of England. She used her influence at court to support abolitionist movements in Britain. She also advocated for African and Caribbean subjects within the British Empire in the 18th century and supported early resistance to slavery.
Yaa Asantewaa was a warrior queen of the Asante Kingdom in Ghana. She led the resistance against British colonization in the early 20th century to defend her people’s sovereignty.
Black Presence in America Before Slavery
It's a myth (or intentional rewriting of history for power and profit over a people) that Black people first came to America as part of the slave trade. In fact, many Black royals were intrepid pioneers who had already discovered the continent by the time Western explorers arrived. And indigenous Black people were present long before African immigration.
Christopher Columbus is credited with “discovering” America. However, he acknowledged the role of Black predecessors in his journal. He wrote that he had been told by Native Americans that “black skinned people had come from the south-east in boats” before his arrival.
The Moors of North Africa were another significant influence on the early Americas via Europe. They ruled Spain from 711 to 1492 and brought with them a wealth of knowledge in subjects as diverse as astronomy, medicine, and architecture.
Estevanico was a famed African explorer. He travelled across what is now the American Southwest, making him the first person of African descent to explore North America.
The presence of Black people was also noted in early Spanish Florida. They were believed to have arrived with the explorer Juan Ponce de Léon in the early 16th century. While some of the Black people he brought with him were slaves, others were free.
Tying Leadership to Legacy
Just as African rulers, Black European Royals, and Black Indigenous Americans all upheld justice and sovereignty in their lands, free Black individuals in early America contributed to society significantly before slavery took hold. They pushed boundaries, discovered new territories, and inspired future generations with their bravery and resilience.
The spirit of resistance and leadership existed long before the abolitionist movement. And so the seed of African influence in America took root much earlier than many believe.
While these rulers hail from diverse geographical areas and points in time, they share a common thread. Each of them upheld justice, defended their people, and resisted oppression. Without doubt, they set the tone for later movements for Black liberation in America and elsewhere in the world.
Legacy and Connection to Civil Rights Movements
Civil rights leaders can draw from the legacy of figures who fought for the rights and dignity of Black people in America even before slavery. Their legacy continued into the post-slavery era, in the Civil Rights movements of the 1950s and 1960s.
Their collective African legacy can be heard today as Black leaders lobby for equality and acceptance. These examples from the past provide a solid foundation of strength and inspiration.
Recognize the Legacy of Black Excellence
Black history is deeper than oppression—it is filled with leadership, justice, and innovation. Understanding the true stories of people before us helps illuminate the path forward and provides a wealth of strength to draw from when the work gets overwhelming.
Reframing Black history in this context not only helps the Black community better understand their roots and possible lineages, but disconnects them from notions of inferiority, victimhood, and lack of power used to oppress communities today. It also enlightens White America and the Western ruling elite, with the lies their forefathers have perpetrated for centuries in order to win and maintain power.
Do your own research, enrich your knowledge of the long-standing legacy of Black excellence, and the stories of Black royalty we have not been told. Then share this blog, and start the conversation with your friends, family, and colleagues. Together, you can learn, honour, and share the deep and powerful history of Black leadership to reshape the broader narrative and undo the centuries of miseducation.
Explore our resources or reach out to us at Tough Convos to learn more about our work building inclusive team cultures.
Additional Reading on Black Indigenous Presence in Pre-Colonial America
For those interested in exploring further, these books provide compelling insights and diverse perspectives on the presence of Africans in the Americas before European colonization. They offer a largely untold history, making them essential reading for anyone interested in pre-Columbian African presence in the Americas:
1. They Came Before Columbus – Ivan Van Sertima
In this groundbreaking work, Van Sertima presents evidence that West African explorers, particularly from the Mali Empire, reached the Americas centuries before Columbus. He argues that African traders and travelers influenced Indigenous cultures through trade, art, and shared knowledge. His proof includes linguistic similarities, botanical evidence, the famous Olmec stone heads with African features, and early European accounts documenting Black-skinned people in the Americas.
2. African and Native American – Jack D. Forbes Forbes examines the historical interactions between Africans and Indigenous Americans, focusing on trade, intermarriage, and shared resistance to European colonization. He explores how free Africans and Indigenous people formed mixed communities before and after European contact. His research is backed by historical records, linguistic connections, and documented accounts of Afro-Indigenous groups such as the Black Seminoles and Maroon societies.
3. The First Americans Were Africans – David Imhotep
Imhotep makes a bold and controversial claim that the first humans to inhabit the Americas were Africans who migrated tens of thousands of years ago. He supports this theory with genetic research, skeletal comparisons (such as the Luzia Woman in Brazil), early American cave paintings depicting African-like figures, and similarities between ancient American and African artifacts. While debated among scholars, his work challenges conventional narratives about the peopling of the Americas.