The recent upsurge in the Black Lives Matter campaign reminded me of the time we met civil rights campaigner Annie Pearl Avery at her Ancient Africa, Enslavement and Civil War museum in Selma, Alabama. It was only three days after a far right white supremacsist had killed Heather Heyer in Charlottesville as she demonstrated against a Unite the Right rally and with Trump seemingly emboldening such racists (a view now supported by the data), the importance of Annie Pearl's project couldn't have been more striking. 

Annie Pearl explained that her mission was to inform (or remind) everyone that Africa was the cradle of human life and that African history is something African Americans should be extremely proud of.  Of course the history of enslavement and the fight for civil rights is important she said but she now believed that in the continued struggle for equality it was also important for everyone to know that African Americans have a long, rich and deep history that isn't defined by interaction with white men and didn't start with slavery. We are all descended from Africans.

There is more on our tour of the Southern US states of Louisiana, Mississippi and Alabama here together with a few photos.  It's work in progress so more will be added over time.