Before the Mayflower: A History of the Negro in America, 1619-1962

by Lerone Bennett

The black experience in America--starting from its origins in western Africa up to 1961--is examined in this seminal study from a prominent African American figure. The entire historical timeline of African Americans is addressed, from the Colonial period through the civil rights upheavals of the late 1950s to 1961, the time of publication. "Before the Mayflower"  grew out of a series of articles Bennett published in Ebony magazine regarding "the trials and triumphs of a group of Americans whose roots in the American soil are deeper than the roots of the Puritans who arrived on the celebrated  Mayflower  a year after a 'Dutch man of war' deposited twenty Negroes at Jamestown." Bennett's history is infused with a desire to set the record straight about black contributions to the Americas and about the powerful Africans of antiquity. While not a fresh history, it provides a solid synthesis of current historical research and a lively writing style that makes it accessible and engaging reading. After discussing the contributions of Africans to the ancient world, "Before the Mayflower"  tells the history of "the other Americans," how they came to America, and what happened to them when they got here. The book is comprehensive and detailed, providing little-known and often overlooked facts about the lives of black folks through slavery, Reconstruction, America's wars, the Great Depression, and the civil rights movement. This is a classic in examining the history of African Americans from their African past through the Revolutionary and Civil Wars to contemporary problems and accomplishments.

465 pages, Kindle Edition

Published March 11, 2024

Reviews

[Rosemary · Rating 5 out of 5]

Every person who cares about humanity needs to read this book.

[Daniel Byrd · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a very good, eye-opening book about Black history in the United States until the 1960s. I did, however have a few issues with it.

1) The author tried to examine things that I believe are way outside the scope of this book. Entire chapters of African history or examining the in-depth events of the Haitian Revolution are not all that relevant to the narrative that the author was pursuing here.

2) There are historical inaccuracies in this book that boggle the mind. Firstly, the idea that slavery in Brazil was “liberal” and less harsh than the Americas is nonsense. It has since been estimated that for every ton of sugar exported, a slave died. Brazil exported tens of thousands of sugar a year. Secondly, let’s not forget Brazil kept slavery (under harsh conditions as well) until 1888. Another example is found in the idea that all of the northern states essentially abolished slavery after the Revolution. See Delaware and New Jersey for prime examples.

3) There was a fair amount of conjecture in the book as well. We simply do not know enough about what occurred in the minutia of the Boston Massacre to support the claims Bennett makes about Crispus Attucks. In addition, the idea that Abraham Lincoln had no real thoughts on slavery ending before 1863 is insane. Plenty of his writings and speeches as well as private correspondence can attest to his views on slavery ending in the US before his time as President.

With all of that said, I thought overall this was a great work! As with all historical works, it should be taken with a grain or two of salt, but I’d highly recommend it.