Black History Unveiled

Amat Levin

Black History Unveiled: From the Continent to the Diaspora is a podcast by Swedish-Gambian journalist and author Amat Levin. It focuses on the part of world history that has received shockingly little attention. The podcast highlights gripping historical events, fascinating places, and exciting people that have been conspicuous by their absence in our history books.

Some episodes are about things that happened hundreds, even thousands of years ago. Others take place more recently and touch on scenes many of us may have witnessed. The stories are inspiring, illuminating, startling, and sometimes upsetting.

By listening, you'll learn why Black history has traditionally been suppressed, why it's essential to change that, and what learning about it can teach us about today.

Get bonus content on Patreon

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

read less

Our Editor's Take

Black History Unveiled began on Instagram. Host Amat Levin created an account to share the stories of Black people in Africa and beyond. Over four years, the account grew in popularity, and Levin wrote a book, Svart historia. It means "Black history" in Swedish. The book became a podcast of the same name. This show is the English-language version of the original series.

Levin is a Gambian-Swedish journalist. On Black History Unveiled, he shares his experience growing up in Sweden in the 1990s. Neo-Nazism had gained momentum in the country, and Levin didn't always feel safe. His experience inspired him to strengthen his Black identity. He learned as much as he could about Black history. This drive led him to create the Instagram account and the book and podcasts following it.

The podcast examines critical periods of Black history. Short "minisodes" punctuate the longer episodes in the series. In one minisode, Levin analyzes the Dutch government's apology for the country's role in the Transatlantic slave trade. The televised speech in late 2022 was an apology for slavery in all the Dutch colonies. Levin explores the Transatlantic slave trade in more detail in a pair of longer episodes. In one, he focuses on a period he calls "the golden age of the slave trade." He also explores how slavery differed between locations.

In another set of podcast episodes, Levin discusses the role of France in the Haitian slave trade. The host recounts the unspeakable evil that occurred during this period. He also describes the events that led to Haiti forming "the world's first Black republic."

Black History Unveiled provides a fascinating account of some of history's most important moments. Levin is a thoughtful and expressive host. He guides the listener through stories that are both engaging and unsettling. The podcast may interest those who want to learn more about the world and the events that shape it.

read less

HistoryHistory

Play Trailer

Black History Unveiled – Trailer

Black History Unveiled – Trailer

Black History Unveiled: From the Continent to the Diaspora is a podcast by Swedish-Gambian journalist and author Amat Levin. It focuses on the part of world history that has received shockingly little attention. The podcast highlights gripping historical events, fascinating places, and exciting people that have been conspicuous by their absence in our history books.Some episodes are about things that happened hundreds, even thousands of years ago. Others take place more recently and touch on scenes many of us may have witnessed. The stories are inspiring, illuminating, startling, and sometimes upsetting.By listening, you'll learn why Black history has traditionally been suppressed, why it's essential to change that, and what learning about it can teach us about today. Get bonus content on Patreon Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Episodes

Minisode: A reintroduction of female genital mutilation in The Gambia?

Minisode: A reintroduction of female genital mutilation in The Gambia?

Today’s minisode of the Black History Unveiled podcast is about the fight to reintroduce female genital mutilation (FGM) in The Gambia. And how it’s a part of a global movement where, primarily, conservative men seek to maintain and/or regain control over women's bodies and sexuality. Get bonus content on Patreon Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Minisode: The Haitian Crisis

Minisode: The Haitian Crisis

Today's episode of the Black History Unveiled podcast provides some background to the scenes unfolding in Haiti as we speak. Too many media outlets ignore the context and are only interested in creating the most spectacular headline. Get bonus content on Patreon Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

#8 – The Haitian Revolution, Part 3

#8 – The Haitian Revolution, Part 3

Today's episode of the Black History Unveiled Podcast marks the third and final part of the Haitian Revolution series. In the previous episode, we witnessed the outbreak of the revolt and the successful expulsion of the invading British and Spanish forces by the enslaved people of Saint-Domingue. However, instead of peace, the so-called "War of the Knives" ensued, with leaders of the newly liberated population vying for control of the colony. After two years of conflict, the former slave Toussaint Louverture emerged as the victor. But what had he really won? Officially, Saint-Domingue still remained under French sovereignty.Our story picks up when the French are gearing up to assert their authority. Louverture and the rest of the freed slaves are faced with an overpowering enemy and impossible odds, with the violence in Saint-Domingue reaching apocalyptic levels. The episode also provides keys to understanding why Haiti is in such a vulnerable position today.You can find Black History Unveiled wherever you get your podcasts. Get bonus content on Patreon Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

#7 – The Haitian Revolution, part 2

#7 – The Haitian Revolution, part 2

This is the second episode of our three-part series about the Haitian revolution: one of history's biggest upsets, a classic David and Goliath moment. In the first episode – which I recommend you listen to if you haven't already – we covered the creation of the French Caribbean colony of Saint-Domingue, which, from the late 17th century onwards, was the primary source of all coffee and sugar consumed in Europe. To make this possible, imported Africans were subjected to a particularly hideous form of slavery. As this episode begins—late summer 1791—the slaves—the island's majority population—are preparing to give their lives for a chance at freedom. Get bonus content on Patreon Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

#6 – The Haitian Revolution, part 1

#6 – The Haitian Revolution, part 1

Today's episode touches on one of the most fascinating events in history. It's a story containing incomprehensible evil, incredible courage, and inspiring resistance. By understanding this story, you also understand more about why things look the way they do today. How, for example, can two neighboring Caribbean countries – sharing an island – have such enormously different conditions? How can there be prosperity, investment, and hope for the future on one side of the border, while on the other, there is mainly talk of societal collapse, poverty, and suffering?Many of the answers can be found here.The episode is about the colonization of a Caribbean island and the particularly brutal slavery that followed. But also about the revolt that culminated in creating what is usually called "the world's first black republic" – Haiti. Get bonus content on Patreon Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Minisode: The British monarchy's refusal to return the remains of a stolen Ethiopian prince

Minisode: The British monarchy's refusal to return the remains of a stolen Ethiopian prince

Today's minisode is about an Ethiopian prince whisked away to England under mysterious circumstances. Since then, a battle has been waged over his remains, with Ethiopia yearning for his return, a request staunchly denied by the British monarchy. Get bonus content on Patreon Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

#5: Aksum – One of the Four Great Powers of Antiquity

#5: Aksum – One of the Four Great Powers of Antiquity

Today's episode is about an East African kingdom that, in the 2nd century CE, was described as one of the world's foremost powers, along with Rome, Persia, and China. A kingdom that erected grand monuments and whose coinage spread throughout the world. It was not only among the first in history to convert to Christianity – a couple of hundred years later, it may have played a decisive role in the survival of Islam as a religion. Today's episode is about Aksum. Get bonus content on Patreon Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Minisode: The Trivialization of Transatlantic Slavery

Minisode: The Trivialization of Transatlantic Slavery

Those of you who've been listening to the podcast know that I often caution against the pitfalls of drawing parallels between various forms of slavery, especially when such comparisons are rooted in misleading or deceptive reasoning. In this episode, I'm spotlighting a recent instance of this very issue. It's a striking example of a comparison that seeks to downplay the sheer scale and catastrophic impact of transatlantic slavery. It's whataboutism to an extraordinary degree. Get bonus content on Patreon Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

#4: Transatlantic Slave Trade, Part 2: The Golden Age of the Slave Trade

#4: Transatlantic Slave Trade, Part 2: The Golden Age of the Slave Trade

In the second and final part of the series on transatlantic slavery, we take a closer look at the golden age of the slave trade. We examine what allowed the trade to become so lucrative and extensive and how slavery differed from place to place, establishing that the U.S. wasn't representative of the rest of America. We also explore how the slave trade institutionalized racism against Black people. Get bonus content on Patreon Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Minisode: The Dutch apology for slavery

Minisode: The Dutch apology for slavery

In this week's minisode, we're taking a closer look at last year's Dutch apology for the Netherlands' role in slavery. We will examine what led to it, why the apology took so long, what it might mean for the future and the ripple effects (if any) it has had so far. Get bonus content on Patreon Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

#3: Transatlantic Slave Trade, Part 1: Portugal's Exploration of Africa and the Birth of the Slave Trade

#3: Transatlantic Slave Trade, Part 1: Portugal's Exploration of Africa and the Birth of the Slave Trade

Today's episode is about the transatlantic slave trade, which is probably what many people think of first when they think of the history of Black Africa. Even so, it's a subject marked by misconceptions. People usually know that it happened, but not so much about why, how it started, or how far-reaching the consequences of it were. Therefore, the following two episodes are a deep dive into transatlantic slavery. Part two will be more about the golden age of the slave trade, what life was like for those enslaved, and the obscene amounts of money the slave traders made. In part one, we instead take a closer look at how the money that the Portuguese made from the West African gold trade pushed the Spanish to try to find their own sources of gold. But also on slavery as an institution and how the transatlantic slave trade first arose: how Portugal's exploration of Africa and the European so-called discovery of America worked together to create this tragic chapter in human history. Get bonus content on Patreon Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Minisode: Did Disney steal from African traditions while creating "The Lion King"?

Minisode: Did Disney steal from African traditions while creating "The Lion King"?

Before the podcast leaves Mali, I will address two allegations of plagiarism leveled at Disney. The first and weaker of the two claims is that Disney stole large parts of Mali's national epic, "The Epic of Sundiata," in creating the plot of the mega-hit "The Lion King."The second is about one of the film's signature songs, "The Lion Sleeps Tonight." The original version was written in 1939 by a South African man named Solomon Linda, who was paid pennies for the recording and died destitute, while American renditions of his song brought in millions.The episode also highlights the battle against Disney that Linda's daughters have been waging to access missing royalties and have Solomon Linda's name recognized as the original composer. Get bonus content on Patreon Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

#2: The mighty Mali Empire & Mansa Musa – the richest man in history?

#2: The mighty Mali Empire & Mansa Musa – the richest man in history?

Today's episode is about a place where some people believed valuable minerals grew in the ground and were picked as plants. An immense empire serving as a center of trade and religion, supplying Europe, North Africa, and the Middle East with much-coveted gold. But it was also a place that may have inspired Europeans to venture further out into the seas than ever before, with consequences no one could have imagined. This is the story of Mansa Musa and the Mali Empire. Get bonus content on Patreon Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Minisode: Coups, violence in the Sahel & Burkina Faso's survival

Minisode: Coups, violence in the Sahel & Burkina Faso's survival

After ordering the assassination of Thomas Sankara, his close friend and right-hand man Blaise Compaoré seized power in Burkina Faso. He ruled the country for 27 years before widespread protests forced him into exile in 2014. Two democratic elections followed as Burkina Faso was drawn deeper into the jihadist violence that has spread across the Sahel belt over the past decade.In 2022, the country suffered two military coups. The latest brought the young and enigmatic Ibrahim Traoré to power. Since then, he has advocated for self-sufficiency, distanced himself from the old colonial power France, and fostered closer ties with Russia. Can Traoré finally defeat the militias? And if so, will he return power to the people? Get bonus content on Patreon Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

#1: Thomas Sankara & the struggle for an independent Burkina Faso

#1: Thomas Sankara & the struggle for an independent Burkina Faso

The premiere episode of Black History Unveiled is about a country where corruption was rampant, where a small elite lived well at the expense of the majority, and where international aid was essential for survival. It is also a story about a person who wanted to change all that and who genuinely seemed to want the population's best. The methods have been questioned, but the result spoke for itself. This is the story of Thomas Sankara and his struggle to make Burkina Faso stand on its own two feet. A fight that cost him his life Get bonus content on Patreon Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

#0: Why Black history is important

#0: Why Black history is important

Welcome to Black History Unveiled, the new podcast where we spotlight pivotal moments, influential figures, and groundbreaking movements from Black History across the globe.In this episode, I tell you a little about myself and what drove me to start this podcast. I also talk about how Black history, up until relatively recently, was considered insignificant and trivial. Until the 1960s, a typical Western view was that Black Africa was devoid of history. That's why that narrative is so important to change. Get bonus content on Patreon Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Black History Unveiled – Trailer

Black History Unveiled – Trailer

Black History Unveiled: From the Continent to the Diaspora is a podcast by Swedish-Gambian journalist and author Amat Levin. It focuses on the part of world history that has received shockingly little attention. The podcast highlights gripping historical events, fascinating places, and exciting people that have been conspicuous by their absence in our history books.Some episodes are about things that happened hundreds, even thousands of years ago. Others take place more recently and touch on scenes many of us may have witnessed. The stories are inspiring, illuminating, startling, and sometimes upsetting.By listening, you'll learn why Black history has traditionally been suppressed, why it's essential to change that, and what learning about it can teach us about today. Get bonus content on Patreon Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.