Out of Darkness

As racial tensions simmer at an all-time high in this country, I certainly have many more questions than opinions on the subject because what I see and hear does not always make sense. But, as good documentaries should, Amadeuz Christ’s Out of Darkness not only answers many of my questions but broadens my understanding of the issues beyond what I imagined. The film rightfully challenged many of my original opinions and assumptions on being Black in America.

The film delves into the untold history of African people and the systemic removal of their history for supremacist reasons. The documentary consists primarily of archival photos, films, and artifacts with a series of talking-head interviews with Black historians, anthropologists, and activists. Those interviewed include Dr. Umar Johnson, Tony Browder, Dr. Claud Anderson, Tim Wise, Prof. James Small, and Dr. Joy DeGruy.

The film’s central assertion is that European culture and supremacy have, over the millennia, actively and effectively removed the African origins and influence from history books. Why? Because much of what we consider “civilized” and “enlightened” today finds its roots in Africa. The world has systematically devalued the contributions of Africans by taking away their history and language while interfering with psychological factors involving African values, interests, and principles.

“…delves into the untold history of African people and the systemic removal of their history for supremacist reasons.”

The experts interviewed throughout Out of Darkness go far back in time to the origins of man and the development of the Nile Valley Civilization. The Nile Valley created the first language (what Westerners refer to as hieroglyphics), the first use of paper, and the first documentation of events. Or what we now know as history. The valley was also the birthplace of the first government, a system of time, and the original calendar. It was also the first to discover the Earth was round and orbited the sun, unlike its Western counterparts. Africans were also the first to explore beyond their borders and travel across the Atlantic. Historians claim that Africans reached North America long before Native Americans.

Western education has robbed generations of Africans, particularly its children, of the pride of being true inventors, philosophers, and explorers. One point was that algebra and geometry were created in Africa, evidenced partially on the sciences’ root names. But, of course, these disciplines are credited as Western constructs.

You can’t discuss race in America without talking about slavery. Out of Darkness goes at length into the psychological damage of U.S. Slavery and the resulting post-traumatic slave disorder. Christ offers a detailed overview of systematic racism and an even more comprehensive definition of white supremacy and privilege.