: Thanks so much George: Europe is only one continent that includes
: our history. Our American ancestors and relatives traveled to
: many parts of the world and lived there....think sailors who
: were born in Russia, Ireland, Spain, France who came back to
: fight in the Civil War. Think of soldiers in WW I and WWII,
: writers, musicians, historians who checked out Europe and
: decided to stay.

: We lived in Mexico, (Exodus to Tampico in the 1840's), in Central
: and South America and the Far East.

: Another direct link is with Bristol, England. Not all of our
: ancestors came straight from Africa. They "stopped
: off" in Europe before "sailing" to the Americas.

: I just read on the net about slaves being imported to Russia from
: Guinea by Tsar Peter the Great's brother. The 2500 slaves
: eventually ended up in the Ukraine. This certainly helps to
: unlock the mystery of why the Russians and parts of Poland
: worship the Black Madonna.

: Each time I view this site, it reminds me of how American I am in
: my thinking. Yes I admit to many Americanisms such as believing
: that the Diaspora means only America, that slavery conjurs up an
: image of cotton fields and mint juleps and the North Star and
: that Black means only us.

: The most fascinating articles are on the three black Popes and
: Saints. They all lived long before 600 AD when Mohammed founded
: the Muslim religion. So perhaps many of our ancestors were
: Christians Before they were brought to the New World.

: Thanks again,

: K Wyer Lane

: We were, we are citizens of the world.
Kathleen much of what you have written sounds like an introduction to this forum. The African presence has no geographical bounds.