History's Mirror

"ZWARTE PIET"
THE DISTURBING BLACK FACE
TRADITION

ZWARTE PIET aka BLACK PETE'S origins can be traced back to plays and literature dating to the Roman Empire.

HOWEVER!!! The literal definition of ZWARTE PIET was that of the DARK DEVIL or IMP like CREATURE of the UNDERWORLD.

"SINTERKLASS" aka GOOD SAINT NICK aka SANTA CLAUS who resides in Spain Freed ZWARTE PIET, and ZWARTE PIET IN FOREVER GRATITUDE SERVES HIM NOW AS HIS PERSONAL SLAVE/SERVANT.

ZWARTE PIET gives toys to all the good boys and girls of the world. However he fills the now empty sacks with all the naughty boys and girls of the world and hauls them back to Spain.

The BLACK FACE character is modernly depicted wearing Medieval/Renaissance period dress following on foot his MASTER SINTERKLASS who rides a great WHITE HORSE.

The resurgence of this tradition returned during the era of DUTCH involvement in the TRANS ATLANTIC SLAVE TRADE. (The Dutch were HUGE PLAYERS in the Trade)

The tradition is mainly practiced in HOLLAND, BELGIUM... or basically the entire NETHERLANDS!!! (As well in former Dutch colonies i.e Aruba, Surinam etc..) However certain families and communities continue the tradition quietly in North America behind closed doors.

THIS IS SUCH A HUGE PRACTICE where THOUSANDS of Europeans dress up in Black face wearing wig Afros for the merriment of their children at the expense of a whole entire RACE.

Many would argue "That it's harmless fun, that the black skin is caused by going down chimneys, that you're making it racist by pointing it out", yadda, yadda, yadda...

Seriously??

However that theory gets quickly cancelled when apparently it's trendy for practitioners to put on their best Surnamise accent when all blacked up in ZWARTE PIET attire.

There are many groups today that protest yearly against having their young Black Children being exposed, subjected, and abused by such a gross imagery and practices. From objects like toys to edible black face cookies.

It's GROTESQUE, it's VILE, it's CRUEL, and it's down right WICKED.

It's negative for one thing to have a Black character depicted in a subservient role, however it takes it to a whole different dimension when that role is that of being the symbol of evil having been watered down to being the entertainer of children on top of it.

Would let your Child partake in this tradition? (i.e Play with the objects, eat Black peoples heads as baked goods etc..)

Is this truly harmless?

What are YOUR THOUGHTS?

Do these images speak anything to you, and if so what??

"ZWARTE PIET"
THE DISTURBING BLACK FACE
TRADITION

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It's REALLY HARD for me to grasp that one point in time "African Americans" were merely viewed on the same level as pigs (or less).

Amusement/Entertainment seemed to be the only area of acceptance for the "BLACK".

Here are my "TOP 3" most popular TOY CAST IRON MECHANICAL BANKS using Black men (not piggies) as the theme.

Image 1. The "JOLLY - FEED - A - N****R"

Once the coin is placed in the smiling Negroid's hand, the child then pulls the lever. To much delight children watch as the Black man feeds himself as his eyes role into the back of his head.

Image 2. The "STUMP SPEAKER"

The child places the coin into the hand then pushes down the lever. The arm drops the coin into the bag and the jaw instantly juts up and down to mimick chattering.

Image 3. "BLACK BOY BANK"

The Black Boy's tongue protrudes out and the child places their coin on it. Then presses the lever, the tongue retracts, the eyes roll, and the caption rings true.

" Press the lever lightly Watch my tongue appear, save a penny nightly Make your fortune here"

What are your thoughts? Would you let your child or a child you know play with a device that mimics a Race of People??

Is it harmless... if it is share how so?

"OBJECTIFYING BLACK SKIN FOR BUSINESS 2"

In 1888 Chris L. Rutt and his friend Charles G. Underwood bought a flour mill, and their Pearl Milling Company faced a competitive flour market during that era.

To earn more profit the duo sold whatever excess flour/mix and labeled it "Self-Rising Pancake Flour," "the first ready-mix" so they would hopefully stand out separate from their competitors.

In 1889 the Aunt Jemima name and image was taken from Black face Posters of the Vaudeville house in Missouri known for showcasing MINSTREL SHOWS was devised to be fused with the product as a creative BUSINESS decision.

Aunt Jemima was to play up the cheerful, loyal, plump, content, hard working MAMMY STEREOTYPE that was STRONG, TOUGH, ATTENTIVE, yet OBEDIENT to her MASTERS.

The company was sold to the "Davis Milling Company" and CRAZY things were done throughout the years to promote the product further.
(Today owned by Quakers Oats)

RAG DOLLS that were visually reinforcing the NEGATIVE IMAGE OF BLACK PEOPLE were used as FREE merchandise targeting Childern of parents who purchased their Pancake Mix as a premium. They were to be known as AUNT JEMIMA'S FAMILY.

Well, we have "UNCLE NOSE, WADE, & LITTLE DIANA (with her little Pickaninny ribbone/bows and braids on her head).

It does not stop there....

Dark coloured flat FACE CUT-OUTS with broken Southern English dialect printed on them, were provided as masks for young non black children to run around and wear for fun. All the while this was purposely being used as a MARKETING TACTIC.

Aunt Jemima was modeled after several actual Black Women whose aesthetics were used to sell the narrative surrounding the Pancake Mix (somewhat like the Colonel of a particular chicken franchise we know with a her special recipe). The first of which was NANCY GREEN in 1893.

There are many, many things wrong with the Mammy archetype that Aunt Jemima
represents. The term "Aunt/Uncle" for an elder enslaved person was common, for they were not given the proper respect of equals to be acknowledged as Miss, Mrs, Ma'am, Sir or Mister.

The MAMMY was often used as a wet nurse breastfeeding her owners children from birth and guiding them in a motherly fashion into Adulthood. (Was mandatory that the Child of her MISTRESS receives the first ample feeding of milk before her own child)

Yes, sure they modernized the IMAGE by giving Aunt Jemima a perm with pearl earrings.

However, what does it mean if we still eat of this DARK LEGACY from our plates?

"OBJECTIFYING BLACK SKIN FOR BUSINESS 2"

"AUNT JEMIMA"

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"OBJECTIFYING BLACK SKIN FOR BUSINESS"

As Black face Minstrel Shows were very common throughout the 1840's till well into the turn of the century (1940's), little is known or shared about the monolithic cultural practice of objectifying "NEGROID BLACKNESS" with the classification of needing correctness.

Day to day average problems could literally equal Black People, just as day to day solutions that could eradicate BLACKNESS promised solutions to the average American's life.

Even products inducing pleasure held sway of the notion that the black body was appropriate in the marketing of merchandise from a BUSINESS STANDPOINT.

From SOAP to TO***CO, TOOTHPASTE, TOYS, BLEACH and INK.... BUSINESSES purposely MARKETED the FEATURES of the AFRICAN AMERICAN to accumulate profit while at the same time having ingrained a subconscious taboo of inferiority that still exists to this day (i.e Blacks are subhuman).

These images of advertisements that I would like for you to explore are 100% authentic.

What I would ask you all is how would you feel if you lived in a WORLD where these images surrounded you in your environment?

Every day, every night, and at every turn?

During eras that were beyond challenging there were "BLACK SUCCESSESS" yes... HOWEVER no matter how great of a life you carved out for yourself, you were always reduced to being a visual representation of inferiority to the "Average American Joe".

That would affect the way you were treated. That would affect the way you were socially viewed. That would affect how you felt and looked at life.

These are my TOP IMAGES for this segment.

How far has this MYTH gone to the point where many of us embrace erasing our natural hue even to the point of marketing products that eradicate Melanin??

Let this be a reminder of how far we've come, and more importantly how far we still need to go.

OBJECTIFYING BLACK SKIN FOR BUSINESS

Be sure check to out the Page "HISTORY'S MIRROR" by NZAPPA ZAPP for more EMPOWERING HISTORIC CONTENT!!

Watch HISTORY'S MIRROR LIVE Every 2nd & 4th Thursday each month on thatchannel.com, and catch up on previous episodes on THATCHANNEL.COM YOUTUBE!!

STRIVING FORWARD to represent the BLACK COMMUNITY while ACKNOWLEDGING the sincere issues surrounding MENTAL HEALTH. I am Honoured to be a featured panelist along with highly esteemed professionals on the KEEP6IX LIVE STREAM on THURSDAY NOVEMBER 19th, 2020. Hope you join us all there, and we all can learn and SHARE!! Bless.

HISTORY'S MIRROR "HAUNTED HALLOWEEN" (Series PT 1)

This gruesome Story is one that possesses many elements that will shake the most modest of us.

This true tale affects us as a people, and it's a story that should be told to this day.

From Sadistic Seduction, to the Arts of Magic,Torture and S*x.

ANNIE PALMER

"THE WHITE WITCH OF ROSE HALL"

Born in the early 1800's to an English Father and Irish mother, ANNIE Patterson's family moved to Haiti to seek prosperity while she was at the young age of 10yrs. During this time ANNIE had become very close with her HAITIAN NANNY who taught her the many advanced secrets in the Arts of OBEAH, and guided her in the ways of HAITIAN VOODOO.

ANNIE'S parents died of Yellow Fever and the young 17yr old travelled to the island of Jamaica to her betrothed Mr. JOHN PALMER who was enamored by her legendary beauty.

John Palmer was the owner of the PLANTATION ROSE HALL also nicknamed the CALENDAR HOUSE because it eerily possesses 365 windows (days of the year), 52 doors (weeks in a year), and 12 rooms (12 months of the year).

ANNIE soon grew bored of her new husband and this is when her twisted mind startedto emerge. ANNIE Poisoned him, and poured BOILING OIL in one of his ears to make sure he was truly dead.

ANNIE married 2 more times murdering them both (one by stabbing and the other strangulation). It is said that the 3 Palm trees that stand separate today on the estate are the men's unmarked graves.

Now...

ANNIE was sick. I mean TRULY A DEMON towards the over 2000 BLACKS she "owned" on that plantation.

Everyday after ANNIE directed the daily operations of the estate, she gave the specific TORTURES to be executed while she observed them while enjoying her tea from The Great House Balcony.

ANNIE enjoyed long horse back rides on the estate whipping whomever she felt the urge to at will, and even went so far as to import BEAR TRAPS from the United States to sever the legs of would be RUNAWAYS on false baited paths surrounding the property.

ANNIE also learned from her enslaved women who taught her all they knew as well in the CRAFT of OBEAH. It is speculated that they did so eagerly, so that she would value and have use for them, so as not to dispose of them or harm their loved ones if she was to remain pleased with their tutelage.

ANNIE would often practice her magic to frighten her slaves in order for them to witness her powers.

Example: Imagine you were a slave heading back to your shack in the middle of the night, and you hear your name whispered loudly. You turn, see no one, but when you turn back you astonished to see in front of you a muscular man sized Goat with long curved horns. A terrifying moving silhouette walking on it's two hind legs beneath moonlight. It stops, turns to look at you, then turns back.... then suddenly bolts running top speed disappearing into the darkness.

Rrrriiight?

ANNIE forbade any slave to cross her path in the Great House, and to this day there remains a less than 3ft in width room, where it was reported that preserved fingernails are embedded in the timber. Left by her unfortunate victims attempting to claw their way out of the dark in total madness.

Not to mention a pit constructed in the middle of the home (25ft deep) where slaves were randomly tossed in to meet their fate. Some with broken limbs, some bleeding or both, and all lying amongst the dead and or dying.

ANNIE was obsessed with taking on BLACK MALE LOVERS who she'd have murdered when she tired of their forced s*xual services or as soon as she felt they did not genuinely return her terrifying passion for pleasing her.

Now, there was a Black Slave Driver named TAKOO who was a VERY POWERFUL OBEAH MON himself, and his daughter's husband was summoned to ANNIE'S bed chambers and....

Eeeeyep, we all know what the end result was.

The slaves ROSE HALL were planning a uprising because they found out that slavery had ended on the island and that ANNIE had still kept them all CAPTIVE & ENSLAVED.

On the night of the rebellion, TAKOO crept into the Great House as field fires arose and chaos took over the land.

He mission was to confront the WHITE WITCH and claim vengeance for his daughter's broken heart.

To this day no one knows exactly what happened during that night between those two figures. The authorities of the day described from the investigation what they saw as burn marks covering the walls along with destroyed furniture as their two bodies lay far directly across from one another. As if some sort mystic battle had taken place.

To this day ROSE HALL is considered one of, if not the MOST HAUNTED places on Earth. Even causing Mediums who were called in to investigate to leave quickly and completely unnerved.

This is the story of ONE MISTRESS who commanded over the lives of her slaves, and according to spiritual experts THE WHITE WITCH still does hold them in bo***ge in the afterlife.

ANNIE was only 4'10ft in height.

ANNIE PALMER

"THE WHITE WITCH OF ROSE HALL"

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COMING SOON!!!

NZAPPA ZAPP'S VIDEOS ON BLACK HISTORY THROUGH THE DIASPORA!!!

"THE TRAGEDY OF RECY TAYLOR"

Born in Abbeville, Alabama on Dec. 31, 1919, RECY Corbitt was destined to be the face of a well known American OPEN SECRET.

On the night of her attack, she had gone to Rock Hill Holiness Church for a Pentecostal to sing and pray. As she walked home along a country road surrounded by farms, the 24 year old RECY, her friend and her friends 18-year-old son, noticed a green Chevrolet eerily passing by them several times.

The car stopped close to them, and SEVEN young white men, all armed with guns and knives, hopped out. HERBERT LOVITT the leader ordered the three of them to stop and then pointed a shotgun at them when they ignored him and kept walking.

The men all forced RECY into the car at gunpoint and drove her to a grove of pine trees on the side of the road, where they forcefully commanded her to undress herself in front of them. RECY continuously pleaded, begged, begged, begged, and begged the laughing group of White young men to allow to return home to her husband and 3 year old infant daughter.

However the group and Mr. Lovitt was were not phased even in the slightest, and order RECY “ACT JUST LIKE YOU DO WOTH YOUR HUSBAND OR I'LL CUT YOUR DAMN THROAT!!!"

Then.......

he and five others repeatedly took turns entering her body. Laughing, smiling, cracking jokes, giving tips and cheering one another on. After they all released and finished with her they dragged her to the car, drove along a back rode and dumped her out. RECY was able to get her blindfolds off and in terror tried to find her way home.

RECY'S husband and Father desperately searched for her when the other two reported back what had happened.

The Sheriff was called and the driver was rounded up for questioned and ADMITTED the others (not him) all had in*******se with RECY. However, he stated that they all had PAID RECY TAYLOR for her "Services".

Eventually the other 6 men were brought in for questioning and ALL OPENLY ADMITTED having s*x with RECY. One even fully admitting to ra**ng her stating that she kept crying begging to go back home to her husband and kid.

This tragedy helped spark the Civil Rights movement, and gained national attention.

The N.A.A.C.P. sent a young Rosa Parks to investigate. Blacks around the country demanded that the 6 men be prosecuted. However the attack, like many involving black victims during in the South during the Jim Crow never went to trial.

Two all-white, all-male grand juries refused to have the men indicted, even though one of them had ACTUALLY CONFESSED.

The family was terrorized with their house being firebombed for daring the attempt to seek justice.

It worsened so bad to the point that the family was forced to move.

RECY TAYLOR died at the age of 97 in 2017.

RECY never saw her justice.

"THE TRAGEDY OF RECY TAYLOR"

"RECKLESS EYEBALLING"

MATT INGRAM'S STORY

In Yanceyville, North Carolina 1951 MATT INGRAM a Black Tenant Farmer, Husband, and Father of NINE was accused of “reckless eyeballing",Which was the act improperly looking at a white person with SEXUAL INTENT (A Law that that was tailored to Blacks admist the era of segregation).

MATT was one of the remaining few BLACK MEN to be charged and convicted by the then entrenched Law. This became a well-known case by Civil Rights activists in the North Carolina.

One day a 17yr old Willa Jean Bosewell (a White Teen) testified in court that her neighbour, MATT INGRAM scared her when he had looked at her from an approximate distance of about 75 feet while she was in a vehicle.

After the supposive incident, the WHITE COMMUNITY was in an uproar and prosecutors believe it or not demanded that MATT be convicted of ASSAULT with INTENT to R**E.
This was later reduced to an assault on a female by the presiding judge, for which MATT would end up SERVING TWO and a HALF years in PRISON!!

MATT was defended by a White lawyer named Ernest Frederick Upchurch, who sent an appeal to the Superior Court, the judge instructed the jury that Ingram was guilty if he used “intentional threats or menace of violence such as looking at a person in a leering manner, that is, in some sort of sly or threatening or suggestive manner…he causes another to reasonably apprehend imminent danger”

The jury was all white and returned a conviction, leading to a sentence of 6 MONTHS of HARD LABOUR on the roads, that was to be suspended for five years.
The NAACP and Black Media Newspapers vigorously carried his story and that of the pending case. Due to the pressure the state supreme court vacated the conviction because:
“it cannot be said that a pedestrian may be assaulted by a look, however frightening, from a person riding in an automobile some distance away. He may have looked with lustful eyes but there was the absence of any overt act.”

The look alone by itself no longer represented grounds for a conviction.
Sadly MATT INGRAM spent over two years of his life in prison away from his loving WIFE and 9 CHILDREN awaiting three trials that were to come. In which they took over TWO YEARS to resolve.

Today I still read, watch, and hear of stories that echo this tragic one (of many) in History.

Yes the times and laws have changed. However may we NOT FORGET those who have suffered before the said laws have changed during those more turbulent times.

"RECKLESS EYEBALLING"

MATT INGRAM'S STORY

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BLACKS IN COMICS PART 2

NUBIA
"THE BLACK WONDER WOMAN"

NUBIA first debuted in January 1973
47yrs ago almost half a century and yet NOBODY really knows about her.

She is literally the TWIN SISTER of WONDER WOMAN that we know of today.

Their creator HIPPOLYTA formed the two beings out of clay. One of light clay, the other that of dark.

They were brought to life by the "gods" and the god of war MARS kidnapped the infant NUBIA to mold her to act as his weapon to do his own evil bidding.

Being raised by Mars and brainwashed into thinking that the AMAZONS were her enemy, NUBIA attacked PARADISE ISLAND with the intent to slaughter them all (Yes, she is that powerful).

However Wonder Woman broke the spell Mars had put on NUBIA by removing his spellbinding ring from NUBIA'S hand.

NUBIA from then leaves the amazons in peace and is then to become known as the WONDER WOMAN OF THE FLOATING ISLAND. As the White Wonder Woman had Earth as her domain.

By all intents and purposes NUBIA is by far the more POWERFUL of the two WONDER WOMEN.

Along with their equal Super Human Strength, NUBIA POSSESSES these additional Powers/Abilities:

-Flight (Wonder Woman originally could not fly and travelled via an invisible jet)

-Ability to open portals to different dimensions

-Magic Armour and Weaponry including the Destructive Sword of MARS that she stole when fleeing his domain

-An ability called "COLD SIGHT" that paralyzes her enemies

- An ability to heal herself from damage/wounds/poisons by merging and becoming one with Earth's soil and regenerating her body to become new again

NUBIA is considered to be DC Comics FIRST BLACK FEMALE SUPER HERO!

Will we hear more about her?

We shall see, and now YOU KNOW!!!

So share this with all the STRONG BLACK FEMALES & LITTLE PRINCESSES you know.

NUBIA

"THE BLACK WONDER WOMAN"

BLACKS IN COMICS PART 1
https://www.facebook.com/107961417260936/posts/282317106492032/

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BLACKS IN COMICS PART 1

From "MEMIN" to "ICON"

MEMIN PINGUIN is a 1943 Mexican comic book character created in 1943 by comics writer YOLANDA VARGAS DULCHÉ and author SIXTO VALENCIA in a comic book magazine called "PEPIN", and not too long after given his own magazine in 1947.

The Comic MEMIN was also popular in Venezuela, Dominican Republic, Chile, Ecuador, Colombia, Peru, Panama, and other countries as well. The Comic had a weekly circulation of one and a half million issues in Mexico at it's highest point.

In the middle of 2005 it sold over 100,000 issues weekly.

Now here's the issue (no pun intended)

Though such images were familiar to me, what I found disturbing when I was younger coming across this filth was the twisted NARRATIVE in which MEMIN was written.

It's goes as follows

-MEMIN had a stereotypical Heavy set MAMMY as his mother

-He belonged to a (relatively and attractively drawn) group of white peers, as he remained GROTESQUE in contrast with his image possessing an animal's nose giving him the appearance of a MONKEY

- The Comic addressed issues of RACISM in a "fluffy" way while reinforcing the negative conceptions of BLACK PEOPLE

-The books I felt gave the white reader a sense of false confirmation of not having any prejudice by merely choosing to read such bizarre material

-"PINGUIN" derives from PINGO which affectionately means "MISCHIEVOUS" with an apparent endearing tone.

In 2005 THE WHITE HOUSE in Washington objected to the newly introduced Mexican STAMP of MEMIN. DECLARING it RACIST and unethical due to the same above mentioned exaggerated BLACK features and STEREOTYPES.

However, MEXICO clapped back with the comparison of the Americans caricature of "Speedy Gonzales"

HERE IS THE DIFFERENCE!!!

Speedy is a mouse

MEMIN is A BLACK CHILD

One depiction was of a cartoon character that out smarted his foes utilizing "Super Power Speed", in which the whole world knew talking mice did not exist and that the narratives were all fictional.

The other reinforced existening stereotypes comparing BLACK PEOPLE to Animals with less intelligence, fearful, and reliant based off of REAL PREJUDICE encompassing a WHOLE RACE while introducing the said mindset to the younger generations.

"MEMIN PINGUIN"
_______________________________________

"ICON"

I remember being AWESTRUCK when I first laid eyes on this comic in the aisle of a major Comic Retailer downtown.

I was like "THIS HERO IS FLIP'N AMAZING!!!" and immediately grabbed the comic book and headed straight to the counter and quizzed the guy behind it on all he knew on ICON.

ICON was a VERY popular DC HERO first introduced by Milestone Media in the 1990's.

His POWERS are equal to that SUPERMAN'S if not MORE POWERFUL than the "Man of Steel".

(Even besting Superman by knocking him out of a space station making his ear still ring continously afterwards)

As an Alien (named Arnus) crashing on Earth in 1839 on a SLAVE PLANTATION in the Deep South admist a cotton field, ICON'S first contact with a sentient being was that of an enslaved woman who's name was "Miriam".

The alien changed it's appearance to mimic the life form it had encountered in order to survive. Being that of a BLACK CHILD, for the alien had much to learn about the planet it had crashed on and needed time for the technology of Earth to catch up with it's own in order to repair it's ship to return home to it's galaxy.

Miriam raised this baby ICON as her own and taught him all she knew of the ways of this world until she had passed.

ICON who pretty much did not age in Earths atmosphere learned the ways of mankind, and especially the injustices that were imposed on the type of Human Form he had took on....
A PERSON OF AFRICAN DESCENT.

ICON fought as a Human in major Earth Wars including that of the World Wars, taking on his own fictional "descendant's" identities to explain his existence throughout the ages.

As the 1990's approached ICON decided to emerge as a HERO for the underprivileged and less fortunate taking on a young BLACK FEMALE named "ROCKET" as his TRUSTED SIDEKICK in fictional "Dakota City".

This CHARACTER really changed the way I viewed stereotypical comics of Black Heroes getting "hand me down" powers, being sidekicks of white counterparts, and being results tokenization.

AGUSTIS FREEMAN IV the Great-Great Grandson of himself was Cooperate Lawyer by day, and SUPER HERO at night (though he was active in daytime as well).


A perfect example of an ENCOURAGING BLACK COMIC CHARACTER.

"ICON"

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"GANNIBAL"
THE AFRICAN MILITARY LEADER OF
RUSSIA

Believed to be born in what is modern day Camroon in the year 1698, Gannibal known then as Abram was son to a minor PRINCE/CHIEF.

His FATHER is said to have died on the battlefield defending his territory from the OTTOMAN TURK'S who were NOTORIOUS for acquiring SLAVES from the AFRICAN. CONTINENT.

GANNIBAL was kidnapped and taken oversea to CONSTANTINOPLE to be a prized SLAVE in the Ottoman Empire.
Sultan Ahmed III's household GANNIBAL was to serve for over a years time.

An Ambassador of Russia (Sava Vladislavich-Raguzinsky) was representing PETER THE GREAT, and was in search for "A few clever little African slaves" for the Tsar's palace in MOSCOW.

(Though it is not clear if the Boy was stolen and smuggled out in secret or agreeably purchased in sale)

It's not ever mentioned that it was QUITE POPULAR in the COURTS of EUROPE to have BLACK PAGES/SERVANTS that were often CHILDREN be attendants to ROYAL FAMILIES as a way of showcasing the WEALTH of the MONARCHY.

NOT JUST ROYALTY, but NOBLES and other ARISTOCRATS engaged in the GROTESQUE ACT of having Portraits done with LITTLE BLACK CHILDREN in SERVICE of themselves as a SYMBOL OF STATUS.

For Africans were considered HANDSOME & EXOTIC (like animals) and the means of PROCURRING AND IMPORTING them REQUIRED Great WEALTH as opposed to having local peasants.
Russia simply wanted to "keep up with the Jones's" by establishing this trend themselves.

Young GANNIBAL sparked all sorts of reactions in the Royal Court of PETER THE GREAT.

Africans (or blackness) in Russian literature were often symbolized as negativity or creatures similar to that of "Boogie men".

However, Peter was said to have been taken back by the boy's INTELLIGENCE and taught him in the ways of WAR by having GANNIBAL accompany him on his Military campaigns as his personal valet/assistant.

GANNIBAL was baptized in 1705, in ST. PARASKEVA CHURCH in VILNIUS RUSSIA with Peter the Great as his GODFATHER!!

YES, THAT IS CORRECT. PETER THE GREAT OF RUSSIA HAD AN AFRICAN GODSON.

Peter further more provided academic and military schooling and training for the boy who was to grow up to be a cunning, accomplished strategist and ENGINEER OF FORTIFIED DEFENCES.

It was through Military VICTORIES is how this Young AFRICAN BLACK MAN earned his nickname 'GANNIBAL" in reference to "HANNIBAL" the Ancient African Military Genius by the ARISTOCRATIC SOCIETY.

GANNIBAL was said to be fluent in several languages, excelled in Mathematics such as Geometry and was sponsored by Peter to spend time in FRANCE to be educated in ways of MILITARY ENGINEERING.

GANNIBAL as well had a close bond with Peter's daughter Elizabeth, who made sure after her Father's death that GANNIBAL was reinstated as Military Leader of the Armed forces when rival powers had stripped GANNIBAL of his titles following the TSAR'S death.

GANNIBAL was even recalled by Elizabeth from exile in SIBERIA, because he posed a great threat to those who soon took over his Godfather's throne when Peter had passed.

When Elizabeth became the new MONARCH OF RUSSIA, GANNIBAL was an ESTABLISHED NOBLEMAN and held a VERY HIGH POSITION in her COURT.

GANNIBAL had risen to the RANK OF MAJOR-GENERAL within the RUSSIAN EMPIRE!!

None could match GANNIBAL in his GENUIS, ACCOMPISHMENTS, and CLOSE TIES to the ROYAL FAMILY.

In 1742, the Empress Elizabeth gave GANNIBAL the "MIKHAILOVSKOYE ESTATE in PSKOV OBLAST" with HUNDREDS OF "SERFS!!"

Which is Ironic because "Serfs" were not literally "Slaves", but were people "BOUND" to the land in which they served and to the land's Masters. (Very similar to slavery, but not quite)

Here was a former SLAVE now
OWNER OF PRESTIGIOUS PROPERTY, ESTATE BUILDING, and AAALLLLL the PEOPLE binded to the LAND he now OWNED.

In 1762 GANNIBAL retired from service to his estate, died in 1781, and had FATHERED ELEVEN CHILDREN. Some of whom were to MARRY into RUSSIAN NOBILTY.

As well as being the Forefather of his Great Grandson who was to become one of the country's MOST CELEBRATED MINDS in RUSSIAN HISTORY.

That Story however, is for another day.

"GANNIBAL"
THE AFRICAN MILITARY LEADER OF
RUSSIA

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