ST. LOUIS — No matter where you are in the world, there are traces of African presence found on just about every continent.
From America to Europe to Asia, there have been artifacts and texts left behind by ancient peoples of African descent.
Over time, the history of the Atlantic Slave Trade and European colonization scattered peoples of African descent through a system of displacement, relocation and separation from their families, culture, and language. This resulted in forced labor, exploitation, torture and oppression for several decades.
The Pan-African flag is red, which stands for blood; black, which stands for culture; and green, which stands for the land or natural fertility of Africa. It was adopted back in 1920 to symbolize black freedom, independence and liberty.
According to Britannica, "historically, Pan-Africanism has often taken the shape of a political or cultural movement. However, there are several varieties of Pan-Africanism."
Pan-Africanism generally unites those taken from their homelands and embraces freedom and reconnection to their roots for the betterment of the African diaspora.
The African diaspora refers to the long-term historical process by which people of African descent have been scattered from their ancestral homelands to other parts of the world because of the African slave trade. The maintenance of African culture and recognition of colonial independence are other reasons behind Pan-African pride.
Whether those of African descent were already on certain continents or whether they were kidnapped and relocated, all peoples of African descent throughout the diaspora use the Pan-Africanism flag as a symbol of unification regardless of geographical location.
People of African descent had central roles in many historic events around the world, including the classical, medieval and modern eras of Europe and the Americas.
The global presence of Africans includes every country in the world.
Because of this presence, the idea that peoples of African descent have common interests and lineage became one concept known as Pan-Africanism.
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