Black Athena... or how a way of depicting figures on vases (which was abandoned later as artistic styles changed), became a rallying flag for African Americans with an agenda and a set goal in mind.
I never did get that. There were major, MAJOR empires that thrived in "Black" Africa (to differentiate from people of Lower Egypt and Mediterraneand coast who aren't) at any one point. Meroe/Nubia, Axum, Many kingdoms in the area of Niger, and best of all Great Zimbabwe.
Why not embracing your culture fully, and be proud of it and go mind-raping young students about people who had absolutely no relation to what you are saying, instead?
a small guide to how NOT to be a historian.
1. take an artistic method (black figures over white background) as in the below vase of 5th century BCE)

Circe offers cup to Odysseus; end 5th century BCE
swine-man in background. Ahtens, National Archaeological Museum
or even later ones who have men painted as black and women painted as white (another way to create antithesis on people who were basically wearing the same clothes)

birth of Athena from Zeus. Greek
New York, Metropolitan Museum of Art
or... as pointed to by this hellenistic painting,

Men were outside tilling their fields, brandishing their wares, being soldiers and generally earning a living, thus getting a tan while the women were "protected" indoors without much rights but an obligation to have a family white was a desired quality back then when female beauty was on display (It is not generally known but Ancient greek women were treated much like property). Whereas Pahlavan and Saka women were generally treated in a much better light, with Sarmatians according to Herodotos having an armoured contingent of ONLY women warriors.
2. Project your own bias-goals into it.
3. Lie, lie, lie to keep your own little moment of "Look mom I'm famous!" known to the world, blatantly disregarding things like the fact that there were other methods of drawing figures, like the following ones...(later than the one shown above)

and
or even white on white with colour (different artistic style)

There are basically thousands upon thousands of examples, as there are thousands upon thousands of ancient greek vase fragments which can depict what I am saying. A book on art can also be far more precise than I will ever be. Still, it is kind of sad to see art history being turned into " they live among us" kind of conspiracy theories.
So...how were "black" africans depicted back then?

found in London, British Museum
Bookmarks