Question

Discuss the concept of the Afro-Atlantic, also known as the Black Atlantic. (2-3 paragraphs) 300-500 words

Answer 1

Between the years 1630 to 1780 for two Europeans, four Africans landed in the Atlantic empire of Britain, and there was an increase in this ratio to 4:1 between 1700 and 1780. This led to a Black Atlantic world at the time of revolutions and a theory was established describing a history of almost twelve million Africans who were taken across the Atlantic Ocean between 16th and 19th centuries. This formed the central idea to the Atlantic history. The early studies on Black Atlantic focueds on economic as well as the demographics of the Africans present in the northern as well as western shores of the Atlantic, where, little emphasis was given to the slave rebellion, recent studies have taken into consideration the cultural impact seen on African communities their family structures, and any resistance in expression faced by them.

Gilroy in 1993, studied the impact on the lives of the Africans faced in the Atlantic, and till today, remains the standard used to measure the Black Atlantic.. Roach 1996 was the first one who had posed direct challenge to the model laid by Gilroy, arguing that the idea of Black Atlantic had started amongst the European conceptions where race was a major component and this came way ahead of the Atlantic slave trade.