People of African Descent - African Diaspora and Modernity

African Diaspora and Modernity

Studies on the African Diaspora have recently moved in the direction of understanding its role in the formation of modern times. This trend is in reaction to the traditional way in which Africans and its diasporans have been placed in history books, namely, as victims or people without much historical agency. Often Africans and their descendants are portrayed as representatives of primitive culture or slavery. The current consensus among specialists is that viewing the contribution of the African Diaspora to the history of modern times gives us a more complete appreciation of global history. The effect of the African diaspora on modernity can be viewed by the history and culture of the people from the African diaspora. African decedents around the world have kept their ties to the African continent creating a global community. They carried with them their culture, family values, views on government, and their spiritual beliefs.