African Philosophy in America

There are four major historical moments of African philosophy in the Americas since the nascent development of the United States. The first occurs in the formation of African communities in the late seventeenth and early eighteenth century. The “orisha” religions, that is, any of the religions indigenous to west Africa, were prominent in African communities in the Americas. Sailors, slaves, indentured servants, and merchants were the savants of these religions which, however, were compelled to either dissipate in the face of the dominance of Christianity or integrate religious principles and cultural concepts into Christianity.

The importance of African civilizations, particularly Egypt, Ethiopia, and west African empires with well-documented historical records such as the Asante or Yoruba, was crucial for arguments against slavery in the early eighteenth century. The importance of African history, real and imaged, was crucial in this second historical moment. Abolitionists, such as...