Jada Pinkett-Smith’s Netflix documentary African Queens about Queen Cleopatra VII, the last active ruler of the Ptolemaic Kingdom in ancient Egypt, is causing quite a stir. However, it’s true that she was indeed Black or at least of mixed African ancestry. Here are 10 strong arguments why:

Firstly, her lineage was Macedonian Greek, but her mother’s identity is uncertain, with some historians suggesting she was a Nubian princess.

Secondly, Egypt at the time was a melting pot of cultures and races, with intermarriage common among the ruling classes.

Thirdly, Cleopatra was known for her striking beauty, which ancient writers described as “exotic” and “otherworldly,” traits that were often associated with African features

Fourthly, she was revered as a goddess by the people of Egypt, who saw her as a reincarnation of the goddess Isis, who was traditionally depicted as black.

Fifthly, Cleopatra was a skilled diplomat who forged alliances with African kingdoms, suggesting she may have had cultural ties to the continent.

Sixthly, her coinage depicted her with African features, such as a broad nose and full lips.

Seventhly, her physical descriptions by ancient writers, such as Plutarch, suggest she had a darker complexion than her Macedonian predecessors.

Eighthly, she was known to wear wigs and elaborate hairstyles, which were commonly worn by Black women in Egypt at the time.

Ninthly, the Roman historian Cassius Dio described her as having “a seductive voice and a persuasive tongue,” qualities that were often attributed to black women.

Lastly, her lover and father of her children, Mark Antony, was said to have had a preference for dark-skinned women, suggesting he was attracted to Cleopatra’s African features.

So, there you have it. Cleopatra, who was born in Alexandria in 69 BCE and ruled from 51 BCE until her death in 30 BCE, was indeed a Black woman known for her intelligence, political acumen, and charm, which allowed her to maintain Egypt’s independence while navigating complex relationships with Rome.

[ via ]

Everybody knows who Martin Luther King, Jr. is, and what he did as a civil rights hero to contribute to freedom and equality for African Americans. But few people know that MLK was arrested almost 30 times fighting for what he believed in. His so-called “crimes” varied, and his arrests took place in various different cities in the south.

Here are just a few occasions when he was arrested and why:

January 26, 1956 — He was arrested in Montgomery, Alabama as part of a “Get Tough” campaign to intimidate the bus boycotters. Four days later, on January 30, his home was bombed.

March 22, 1956 — King, Rosa Parks and more than 100 others were arrested on charges of organizing the Montgomery Bus Boycott in protest of Parks’ treatment.

September 3, 1958 — While attempting to attend the arraignment of a man accused of assaulting Abernathy, King is arrested outside Montgomery’s Recorder’s Court and charged with loitering. He is released a short time later on $100 bond.

September 5, 1958 — King was convicted of disobeying a police order and fined $14. He chooses to spend 14 days in jail, but is soon released when Police Commissioner Clyde Sellers pays his fine.

October 19, 1960 — He was arrested in Atlanta, Georgia during a sit-in while waiting to be served at a restaurant. He was sentenced to four months in jail, but after intervention by then presidential candidate John Kennedy and his brother Robert Kennedy, he was released.

May 4, 1961 — He was arrested in Albany, Georgia for obstructing the sidewalk and parading without a permit.

July 27, 1962 — He was arrested again and jailed for holding a prayer vigil in Albany, Georgia.

April 12, 1963 — He and Ralph Abernathy were arrested in Birmingham, Alabama for demonstrating without a permit. During his time in jail, he he wrote what is now known as his historic “Letter from Birmingham Jail.”

June 11, 1964 — He was arrested for protesting for the integration of public accommodations in St. Augustine, Florida.

February 2, 1965 — He was arrested in Selma, Alabama during a voting rights demonstration, but the demonstrations continued leading to demonstrators being beaten at the Pettus Bridge by state highway patrolmen and sheriff’s deputies.

Sadly, King was assasinated in Memphis, Tennessee on April 4, 1968 while visiting the city to fight for economic justice for the city’s sanitation workers who wanted better working conditions and higher pay. His legend, however, continues to live on.

[ via ]

Meet Johanna Mazibuko, who is currently considered to be the world’s oldest person at 128-years old. She is a South African who was born in 1894 and according to Metro, she has lived through the times of two world wars, apartheid, and British colonialism. Both her birth certificate and a national ID prove that she really is as old as she says.

Aside from a hearing deficiency, Mazibuko is healthy and independent enough to move around her house and even share her own life experiences.

An interview with Mazibuko touches on times of her childhood that include living on a farm, a locust infestation, raising seven children, and living to meet fifty of her grandchildren and great-grandchildren. Mazibuko has employed a personal caretaker since 2001 and lives in a caring village that reveres her for her age and wisdom.

As of 2019, the average life expectancy of a human is under 73-years old, according to Our World in Data. It’s not uncommon to meet people who are in their late seventies or even mid-eighties. Some people even live up to one hundred years old. However, Mazibuko has clearly been highly favored and blessed.

[ via ]