Final Reflection

I thought that the scrapbook helped me realize how unjust these colonial practices were. History 322 has taught me to look at the effects in which colonialism has left on the people of Africa. All three of the books that were assigned taught me why Africa has been struggling for years. It is not because the people of Africa have created a system where it is hard to overcome poverty, it was the colonization of the continent. These colonizers created a system in which only Europeans would succeed. This was my first African History course since high school, and my perceptive on Africa as changed. I knew Europe was one of the main reasons as to why Africa was underdeveloped, however, not to the extent in which I have learned in this class.

The third book we read; Machete Season was probably the best book I have read at SUNY Cortland. I say this because the Rwanda Genocide is not talked about as significantly as other genocides such as the Holocaust. The testimonies and interviews of these killers put the genocide into perspective. Some of these individuals had to kill their neighbors so that their family members could survive. To think of killing my neighbor so that my family and I could survive baffled me. It was extremely in-depth and showed me how even 30 years after colonialism, conflicts, and problems arise because of it. 

There was so much other information such as the suppression of rights to the Africans. I knew that they were used as slaves, but not in their own country by colonizers. I found that dreadful to think about because these people did not deserve to be enslaved and then work around the places in which they were free years or months before. I also disliked how the Europeans tried to assimilate Africans into Europeans by teaching them European history and neglecting African cultures. It disgusted me when Dr. Bekeh described how students would be beaten and hit if they did not go to school. Or the fact that their name would be put on a blacklist if they did something that did not fit European cultures.

The movie Zulu, piqued my interest because it showed how Europeans, specifically the British, tried implementing their ways upon native Africans. It was interesting to note that Zulu soldiers did not kill the British when they surrendered. I think that’s why in the picture of the Zulu man, it showed a halo over his head. They understood that death was not the answer, and these people still deserved to live. Also, it showed the cultural aspects of Africa, people working together as one, to defeat a common conflict. This can be seen when African countries start to overthrow their colonizers. 

Lastly, I am happy that I took History 322 because it is going to help me as a teacher show my students how detrimental and uncivil Europeans were to Africans. Although Africa is not a major topic in Global History in New York, I will find ways to include it. It is important that students do no leave high school like me, and I can help spread the narrative of how detrimental colonialism was.