Why Africa and Black People Were Viewed as a Threat: Power, Wealth, Independence and the Fear of Black Self-Determination
Africa and Black people were not viewed as a threat because there was anything inherently threatening about them. Historically, they became a “threat” to particular governments, colonial empires, slaveholders and economic interests whenever African independence or Black self-determination threatened systems built on controlling African land, labor, resources and political power.
That distinction is important.
For centuries, powerful institutions benefited from an idea that Africans were naturally subordinate. Every successful African kingdom, Black rebellion, independent Black government, educated Black political movement or economically independent Black community challenged that idea.
And sometimes the response was violent.