African Presence in Early Asia [Paperback]

Runoko Rashidi (Editor), Ivan Van Sertima (Editor)

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Ivan Van Sertima (1935-2009) was professor of African studies at Rutgers University. He was visiting professor at Princeton University and lectured at more than one hundred colleges and universities. He edited the Journal of African Civiliations, which has greatly changed the way in which African history and culture are taught and studied.

Product Details

• Paperback: 224 pages
• Publisher: Transaction Publishers; Revised edition (January 1, 1987)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0887387179
• ISBN-13: 978-0887387173
• Product Dimensions: 9 x 5.9 x 1.1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.4 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (9 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #123,519 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Ivan Van Sertima's pioneering work in linguistics and anthropology has appeared in numerous scholarly journals. Professor Van Sertima teaches Afro-American studies at Rutgers University.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

51 of 53 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Historical Goldmine, January 4, 2001

By 

ORONDE FREEMAN (Atlanta, GA USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: African Presence in Early Asia (Paperback)

This book is a treasure for anyone researching African history. There is a wealth of information included that is hard to find in other books. Ancient African civilizations across Asia, from The Middle East to Japan? Who would have known? This book includes many references on each topic that the serious student can research for himself. Japans first Shogun, Great civilizations in Southeast Asia that have been long forgotten and totally excluded from history books for some reason. All real practitioners of Martial Arts will find interesting information that will surprise and make you want to know more. There are also many interesting photographs of historical artifacts and native peoples that help support the facts.

38 of 42 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars EXTREMELY COMPREHENSIVE AND WELL DEFINED, July 13, 2002

By 

C. Alexander "Ray-sheezay" (Dallas, TX USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The African Presence in Early Asia (Paperback)

THIS BOOK IS AMAZING IT PROVIDES INFORMATION THAT IS BOTH TRUE AND OF EXTREME VALUE. THE AFRICAN PRESENCE IN EARLY ASIA COVERS MIGRATION FROM AFRICA TO ASIA DATING BACK FROM OVER 100,000 YEARS AGO. IT ALSO COVERS THE REVOLT OF THE ZANJ, WERE EAST AFRICAN SLAVES REVOLTED IN IRAQ AND IRAN. CAUSING NUMEROUS DEFEATS UPON THEIR OPPRESSORS AND SERIOUS ECONOMIC DAMAGE TO THE EMPIRE OF THEIR OPPESSORS. IT ALSO COVERS NUMEROUS AMOUNTS OF AFRICAN PERSONALITIES AND PEOPLE IN ASIA. SUCH AS UTHMAN IBN BAHR AL-JAHIZ, MALIK AMBAR, LOKMAN, BILAL, ANTARA: THE LION AND MANY OTHERS. THE AFRICAN DIASPORA IN ASIA WAS MAINLY BY MIGRATION, BUT SLAVERY WAS ALSO AN EXAMPLE OF THESE MASSIVE AFRICAN POPULATIONS THROUGHOUT SOUTHERN ARABIA, YEMEN, SOUTHERN IRAQ, KUWATI, SOUTHERN IRAN, AND SOME PARTS OF INDIA. HISTORICAL MIGRATIONS INCLUDED SAUDI ARABIA AND YEMEN ALSO. AS WELL AS INDIA HAS AN EXTREMLY LARGE AFRICOID POPULATION KNOWN AS THE "THE BLACK UNTOUCHABLES OF INDIA" WHO ARE THE INDIGENOUS INHABITERS OF INDIA AND THE CREATORS OF THE INDUS RIVER VALLEY CIVILIZATION. THERE ARE ALSO AFRICAN POPULATIONS IN MALAYSIA, SOUTHERN CHINA, ANDAMEN ISLANDS, SRI LANKA AND THE SOUTH PACIFIC ISLANDS. THIS BOOK IS OF GREAT SIGNIFIGANCE ON THE UNEXPLORED HISTORY OF AFRICAN PEOPLE IN ASIA. OTHER BOOKS RECOMENDED IS AFRICANS AT THE CROSSROAD: NOTES ON AN AFRICAN WORLD REVOLUTION, INTRODUCTION TO AFRICAN CIVILIZATIONS, THE DESTRUCTION OF A BLACK CIVILIZATION, AND THE AFRICAN ORIGIN OF CIVILIZATION

28 of 35 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars MUST READ, February 23, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: The African Presence in Early Asia (Paperback)

This is nothing but pure excellence. Refuting common misconceptions about Buddha, the origin of Martial Arts and the amazing (yet, barely revealed) role of Afrikans, this book IS AN ABSOLUTE REQUIREMENT for the student of Afrikan history. This book deserves an infinite number of stars. Five stars just doesn't cut it...