Black Indians

"What is the total population of the Original Nation in the wilderness of North America and all over the planet earth?

The total population of the Original Nation in the wilderness of North America is 17 million, with 2 million being Indian, making it a total population of 19 million. And all over the planet earth- 4 billion 400 million." - 3rd degree, Student Enrollment 1-10

The above degree speaks to two populations of people within the Unites States in the year 1934. It was asked by Master Fard Muhammad, to Elijah Muhammad, about the total number of Original people in North America in order to gain a greater understanding of our dilemma. The usage of the word "Original" within the degree speaks not only to an affirmation of a people's indigenous identity, but also of the relationship between the two groups in the Americas (and specifically North America, the U.S. really) prior to European colonialism and domination. The population figures themselves reflect statistics from 1934. However, the 'understanding' is born when we look further into the relationship of these people. The reality is more and more clearer, and evident that they are not just two different people brought together under unfortunate circumstances, but 'one' people who have established a level of respect, understanding and cultural interaction despite their geographical distance.

These two groups of Original people truly compromise the original NATION within North America, so often a claim given to those who established the 13 colonies. However, there were people here so-called Native American and Africans who were coexistent and living according to governemental principles not recognized by the European and Early (still even) colonial intellectual and historian. The interaction between Indigenous American and Africans goes back to the ancient Olmec of Mexico and continued to strenghten all the way through chattel slavery in the southern United States. They, infact, make up 2/3 or the majority of what racially compromises nearly all so-called Latin Americans.

Two resources to further research and examination of this relationship can be accessed through two books: "When Nation Gather" by Sultan Latif and "Black Indians" by William Loren Katz. Both are easy reads and packed with information about important people, places and events. Below are two excerpts from Katz' "Black Indians":

Page 17

"Distorting racial history, as teachers know, injures dark children. They live with a muted heritage. Despite Black Indian contributions to this land, neither black nor Indian children nor their parents have an awareness of this legacy. Like whites, Native Americans learned in school that Africans were contented slaves and had no fighting traditions, certainly none that allied them with Indians. For their part, Afro-American are aware of Indians in their family trees. But they probably assume that, like the whites lurking there, they are mere intruders. such inaccurate beliefs hide a heritage worth exploring. further, they divide people today who could benefit from unity."

Page 29

"Out of the shifting labor forces a new population emerged of mixed African and Native Americans. By 1650 Mexico alone had a African-Indian population (some with white ancestry) of one hundred thousand. A new race was being born."

Proper Education Always Correct Errors

PAZ!