---
product_id: 199645
title: "They Came Before Columbus: The African Presence in Ancient America (Journal of African Civilizations)"
price: "R587"
currency: ZAR
in_stock: true
reviews_count: 13
url: https://www.desertcart.co.za/products/199645-they-came-before-columbus-the-african-presence-in-ancient-america
store_origin: ZA
region: South Africa
---

# They Came Before Columbus: The African Presence in Ancient America (Journal of African Civilizations)

**Price:** R587
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- **What is this?** They Came Before Columbus: The African Presence in Ancient America (Journal of African Civilizations)
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## Description

They Came Before Columbus: The African Presence in Ancient America (Journal of African Civilizations) [Van Sertima, Ivan] on desertcart.com. *FREE* shipping on qualifying offers. They Came Before Columbus: The African Presence in Ancient America (Journal of African Civilizations)

Review: Why does this book offend some ppl? Cos it questions the "colonial fairytale" of Black inferiority - I HIGHLY RECOMMEND this book, to everyone. It is very interesting and informative. A good introduction for those who are interested in the history of Black Africans prior to slavery. It's a good starting point for lots of different areas of further reading including, linguistics, ancient history, Egyptology, archaeology from the standpoint of Black Africans. The underlying theme is that there is evidence of the presence of Black Africans in the Americas prior to Columbus. This is the type of history that should be focused on during so called Black History month. I do not find this book revisionist unlike some of those that have given this book a negative review. I also do not think that the author is disrespectful to the Native American populations. In fact, I find his discussion to be quite balanced. His key message is clearly that there was an African influence on the Native American populations, not that the Africans came and taught the Natives everything they new. The author concludes by stating that all cultures and people as we know them are a melange of different cultures and people. The evidence is there, and Van Sertima presents this evidence. Why is it so hard for some people (i.e. the negative reviewers) to have a discussion about the African race without getting emotional and upset about it? It is 2020, and African/Black influence on all other cultures is still thriving (ref. cultural appropriation anyone?): dress, hair, music, religion, the way we speak, food, the way we walk, the way we dance, the way we sing etc. etc. so why is it so hard for people to believe the influence of Blacks on other cultures in the ancient period? Why are you so offended?
Review: Perfect - Interesting book. It’s new with good quality paper, highly recommended

## Technical Specifications

| Specification | Value |
|---------------|-------|
| Best Sellers Rank | #10,782 in Books ( See Top 100 in Books ) #17 in Native American History (Books) #20 in Expeditions & Discoveries World History (Books) #42 in African American Demographic Studies (Books) |
| Customer Reviews | 4.8 4.8 out of 5 stars (4,424) |
| Dimensions  | 5.2 x 0.75 x 8 inches |
| Edition  | Reprint |
| ISBN-10  | 0812968174 |
| ISBN-13  | 978-0812968170 |
| Item Weight  | 8.4 ounces |
| Language  | English |
| Print length  | 336 pages |
| Publication date  | September 23, 2003 |
| Publisher  | Random House Trade Paperbacks |

## Images

![They Came Before Columbus: The African Presence in Ancient America (Journal of African Civilizations) - Image 1](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/71xVqpL7+RL.jpg)

## Customer Reviews

### ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Why does this book offend some ppl? Cos it questions the "colonial fairytale" of Black inferiority
*by A***R on May 14, 2020*

I HIGHLY RECOMMEND this book, to everyone. It is very interesting and informative. A good introduction for those who are interested in the history of Black Africans prior to slavery. It's a good starting point for lots of different areas of further reading including, linguistics, ancient history, Egyptology, archaeology from the standpoint of Black Africans. The underlying theme is that there is evidence of the presence of Black Africans in the Americas prior to Columbus. This is the type of history that should be focused on during so called Black History month. I do not find this book revisionist unlike some of those that have given this book a negative review. I also do not think that the author is disrespectful to the Native American populations. In fact, I find his discussion to be quite balanced. His key message is clearly that there was an African influence on the Native American populations, not that the Africans came and taught the Natives everything they new. The author concludes by stating that all cultures and people as we know them are a melange of different cultures and people. The evidence is there, and Van Sertima presents this evidence. Why is it so hard for some people (i.e. the negative reviewers) to have a discussion about the African race without getting emotional and upset about it? It is 2020, and African/Black influence on all other cultures is still thriving (ref. cultural appropriation anyone?): dress, hair, music, religion, the way we speak, food, the way we walk, the way we dance, the way we sing etc. etc. so why is it so hard for people to believe the influence of Blacks on other cultures in the ancient period? Why are you so offended?

### ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Perfect
*by L***S on November 6, 2025*

Interesting book. It’s new with good quality paper, highly recommended

### ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Very Interesting
*by R***S on October 19, 2025*

My husband loved it. Very Educational and informative.

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*Product available on Desertcart South Africa*
*Store origin: ZA*
*Last updated: 2026-03-16*