African Descendants Establish Freedom in the New World

The story of American democracy highlights men and women of African descent as crucial figures, as depicted in American Founders. It explores how black individuals played a significant role in the development and defense of New World settlements, the fight against slavery, and the promotion of freedom across the hemisphere from the 16th century to the 20th century. Contrary to traditional historical narratives that often focus solely on African Americans in relation to antebellum slavery and the civil rights movement, the reality is that African residents arrived in the Americas a century before the English and in larger numbers than European migrants until 1820. Throughout the founding and growth of the Americas, Afro-Americans were actively involved and frequently outnumbered Europeans in various regions, from colonial Peru to antebellum Virginia.

African-descended individuals made significant contributions to all aspects of American history, serving in roles such as explorers, conquerors, settlers, soldiers, sailors, servants, slaves, rebels, leaders, lawyers, litigants, laborers, artisans, artists, activists, translators, teachers, doctors, nurses, inventors, investors, merchants, mathematicians, scientists, scholars, engineers, entrepreneurs, generals, cowboys, pirates, professors, politicians, priests, poets, and even presidents. The presence of events and individuals of mixed-race in the book serves to emphasize the shared history between black and white Americans, highlighting the fact that they often share common ancestry.

American Founders aims to celebrate this mutual heritage and reinforce the connections between these two groups. By showcasing the diverse and extensive involvement of African-descended individuals in shaping American history, the book underscores the idea that black and white Americans have played complementary and intertwined roles in the nation's development.

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