Interbellica@interbellica · Jan 6, 2025

This book claims that black people built Stonehenge. This might be amusing, were it not an award-winning work…

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Summary

A Twitter thread critiques an award-winning children's book for making unsupported historical claims, such as that Black people built Stonehenge and that Cheddar Man was Black, while misrepresenting Roman Britain, Islamic influence in Europe, and the history of slavery and post-war immigration to Britain.

Summarized by ThreadOut AI from the full thread. May miss nuance — read the thread below.

#1
This book claims that black people built Stonehenge. This might be amusing, were it not an award-winning work recommended for every classroom. Here's a selection of absurdities it presents: 🧵
#2
Black people have inhabited Britain for longer than whites. Naturally, therefore, they built Stonehenge. What is the basis for this claim?
#3
Cheddar Man, an Ancient Briton whose skeleton was discovered in a cave, was recently reconstructed. His skin was described as 'as dark as dark can be,' as confirmed by scientists. Surely they could not be mistaken?
#4
Scientists involved in the reconstruction were motivated to ‘...prevent people from identifying with ancestral populations.’ Regardless of refutations of his black ancestry, once black Britons adopt Cheddar Man as part of their identity, he will remain black thereafter.
#5
Britain is described as 'some rainy islands that had no spices', therefore undesirable to conquerers. Spices will play a predictably central theme to this book...
#6
The Romans, therefore, would have much preferred, rather than the rainy isles, to conquer the bountiful lands of Africa... However, when stopped by a Nubian warrior queen, they turned, with great reluctance, to Britain...
#7
Populating Britain were 'Black Romans'. York, for example, was apparently 11% black.
#8
One such 'Black Roman' was Septimius Severus. Of Italic & Arabic ancestry, Septimius developed quite the tan in sunny Scotland!
#9
It is claimed, citing 'stories', that a black Roman introduced Christianity to Britain...
#10
It is skillfully inferred that Europeans, even kings, were devout Muslims. Elsewhere, the Spaniards and Portuguese were enriched by a great Islamic empire... 🇪🇸🇵🇹
#11
Traversing the West African coast, the primative Englanders basked at the rich and powerful empires that covered 'every inch of Africa', with: - Cities grander than London - Running water and toilets Alas, the greedy English needed their salt and pepper!
#12
Why couldn't the aforementioned mighty African empires couldn't prevent the 'unstoppable' enslavement of Africans? Because African warlords were mostly complicit; slaves, captured in tribal warfare, were traded to Europeans in exchange for guns, alcohol, tools, and other goods.
#13
The abolition movement led to the outlawing of slavery, a monumental decision, incurring a debt that Britain did not pay off until the 21st century. However, we learn that the movement was driven primarily by black activists, with some white people belatedly joining in...
#14
Since gaining freedom, Black people have received 'no help,' which is often used to explain their perpetual position as a global underclass. This presumably overlooks welfare, social housing, DEI initiatives, not to mention the eye-watering amounts of international aid...
#15
After WWII, men from the Caribbean came to rebuild post-war Britain. Heartwarming! Except: - They were implored not to come to England - Far from a worker shortage, there was a surplus (soldiers back from war) - They had no work, no money, no accomodation
#16
Since revisionism has not stopped us so far, we end strongly with a celebration of George Floyd. A strange addition to a book published in late 2023!
#17
If you'd like to see this grotesque subversion challenged and the beauty of our histories preserved, I would be honoured if you joined my free newsletter! historic-hive.com/about