native-detroiter: creolesoul: A History of Black people in Europe It is generally known that black people have been residing in European countries since the early colonial times. But even before the 15th century and during Roman times, a time when colour of skin still wasn’t a racist stigma but just another physical feature, black people lived in Europe. Remains of a man with black African features were found in England recently, dating his life back to the 13th century. Read this article for more info. Besides that, facts have been found of black people living in different parts of Europe, although I don’t want to overstate their presence or influence. But it is generally known that during the Muslim era of the Iberian Peninsula (from the 8th century AD until the 15th century AD) people with dark skin were part of daily live. The Muslims who invaded Spain and Portugal around 700 AD were a mixture of black and dark people from North-Africa. They were often referred to as Maures, wrote about and painted, way before the dehumanization of black people started. I added above Jan Mostaert’s portrait of a nobleman, guest of the Queen of Austria. This painting dates back to the early 1500’s in what we now call Belgium, then part of the Duchy of Brabant. There is no doubt this man has African roots while being a respected member of European culture. We can only guess that this man is of Maure origin, i.e. a Muslim having converted to Christianity or even the second or third generation of converts. Below I will go deeper into the subject. I will give you some internet links, book references and a list of early Europeans of African descent, each time linked to their wiki page. If you know more about the subject I invite you to add information in a comment.Al AndalusMany blacks who were Muslims converted to Christianity after the emirate ofAl Andalus was abolished (end of 15th century). But the Reconquista took centuries (8th-15th century) and during those times black people gradually integrated the Christian and Northern European world. Among them were noble men and scholars. The negative image of blacks, as natural slaves, only gained prominence in the 18th century when the transatlantic slave trade became a central piece of European economical activity and later when European nation-states were being established. Slavery and racismOf course slavery existed before racism. In the 15th century blacks and whites were enslaved indiscriminately. Blacks in the America’s could become free men and own their own slaves and land (which was rather common in colonial Brazil for instance). It is only in later years that being black made you a slave forever and by birth, or at least a kind of human always inferior to white people. This racial perspective on identity and humanity only gained authority in later modern times. Read more on the subject here.Coat of ArmsBlack people were part of European imagination and reality from very early times. Read more here and here. We can say with certainty that there were black people in Europe before that white people reached the area south of the Sahara. North Africa, Iberia and the Middle East were the crossroad where black and white intermingled. In Europe references to blacks was a positive sign of strength and military power. Still today you can find many blacks in coat of arms for towns all over Europe, central, south and north, dating back to the middle ages. Some LiteratureAfter the 15th century, Portugal entered an intense relationship with African kingdoms in the Gulf of Guinea and the Congo coasts. Slave trade (although not based on race) and exchange between the kings led to the presence of Europeans on the West- and Central African shores, just as Africans in Portugal. Accounts from those days tell us that the sight of black people in the streets of Lisbon wasn’t a rarity during the Middle Ages, more on the contrary. I want to refer to following books for those who want to know more about this topic: Black Africans in Renaissance Europe, Thomas Foster Earle,K. J. P. Lowe(eds.)Africa’s discovery of Europe, David Northrup As a consequence of the slave trade free blacks also arrived in Europe between the 16th and 19th century. Blacks lived in London, Liverpool, Lisbon, Seville, … during the 17th and 18th century. Other historical books with scientific authority give you in depth knowledge of this:Hugh Thomas’s ‘The Slave Trade’Ivan Van Sertima’s ‘African Presence in Early Europe’All this publications teach us something about this hidden part of European history.Leo AfricanusLeo Africanus is often stated as one of these black and European noble men and scholars. But it is rather speculation to state if he was black or white. He was definitely a Maure but as racism, whiteness and blackness were unknown concepts as we know it today, we can’t know his ‘race’ for sure. This shouldn’t surprise anyone. Even very common socio-cultural concepts of today such as ‘French’, ‘German’ or ‘English’ didn’t exist in those days such that it would be silly to argue whether historical figures of those days were German or French. Same thing is valid for the white and black race as defined today. Famous Europeans with African ancestry (1500-1900)Below I will list some of the most famous figures of European modern history (after 1500) who happened to be black or have African ancestry, but were integral parts of European (high) society. Most of the time the African ancestry of these people is ignored by history books although acknowledged and accepted by most history scholars. I think it throws a new light on the concepts of race and the meaning of blackness in the 21st century. Alessandro ‘il Moro’ de Medici 1510-1537 Duke of FlorenceAbram Petrovich Ganibal 1696-1781 Major-general, military engineer, governor of Reval and nobleman of the Russian EmpireAnton Wilhelm Amo 1700-1775 German PhilosopherIgnatius Sancho 1729–1780 Author and abolitionist, UKOlaudah Equiano a.k.a. Gustavus Vassa 1745-1797Author and abolitionist, UKChevalier de Saint Georges 1745-1799A famous musican, composer and swardsman of his timesListen to his music here. Thomas Alexandre Dumas 1762-1806A general of the French RevolutionGeorge Polgreen Bridgetower 1780-1860Musician and composerListen and watch here Alexandre Pushkin 1799-1837Famous author, great-grandson of Abraham Petrovich GanibalAlexandre Dumas 1802-1870 French author of the world famous tale of ‘The Three Musketeers’, Thomas Alexandre Dumas’s sonJohn Archer 1863-1931 Presumably UK’s first black mayor, political activistSamuel Coleridge-Taylor 1875-1912Musician and composerListen to his music here (via afroeurope.blogspot.nl) you mean black people didn’t just appear in time for slavery?!?
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native-detroiter:

creolesoul:

A History of Black people in Europe

It is generally known that black people have been residing in European countries since the early colonial times. But even before the 15th century and during Roman times, a time when colour of skin still wasn’t a racist stigma but just another physical feature, black people lived in Europe. Remains of a man with black African features were found in England recently, dating his life back to the 13th century. Read this article for more info.


Besides that, facts have been found of black people living in different parts of Europe, although I don’t want to overstate their presence or influence. But it is generally known that during the Muslim era of the Iberian Peninsula (from the 8th century AD until the 15th century AD) people with dark skin were part of daily live. The Muslims who invaded Spain and Portugal around 700 AD were a mixture of black and dark people from North-Africa. They were often referred to as Maures, wrote about and painted, way before the dehumanization of black people started. 

I added above Jan Mostaert’s portrait of a nobleman, guest of the Queen of Austria. This painting dates back to the early 1500’s in what we now call Belgium, then part of the Duchy of Brabant. There is no doubt this man has African roots while being a respected member of European culture. We can only guess that this man is of Maure origin, i.e. a Muslim having converted to Christianity or even the second or third generation of converts. 

Below I will go deeper into the subject. I will give you some internet links, book references and a list of early Europeans of African descent, each time linked to their wiki page. If you know more about the subject I invite you to add information in a comment.


Al Andalus

Many blacks who were Muslims converted to Christianity after the emirate ofAl Andalus was abolished (end of 15th century). But the Reconquista took centuries (8th-15th century) and during those times black people gradually integrated the Christian and Northern European world. Among them were noble men and scholars. The negative image of blacks, as natural slaves, only gained prominence in the 18th century when the transatlantic slave trade became a central piece of European economical activity and later when European nation-states were being established. 

Slavery and racism

Of course slavery existed before racism. In the 15th century blacks and whites were enslaved indiscriminately. Blacks in the America’s could become free men and own their own slaves and land (which was rather common in colonial Brazil for instance). It is only in later years that being black made you a slave forever and by birth, or at least a kind of human always inferior to white people. This racial perspective on identity and humanity only gained authority in later modern times. Read more on the subject here.

Coat of Arms

Black people were part of European imagination and reality from very early times. Read more here and here. We can say with certainty that there were black people in Europe before that white people reached the area south of the Sahara. North Africa, Iberia and the Middle East were the crossroad where black and white intermingled. In Europe references to blacks was a positive sign of strength and military power. Still today you can find many blacks in coat of arms for towns all over Europe, central, south and north, dating back to the middle ages. 



Some Literature

After the 15th century, Portugal entered an intense relationship with African kingdoms in the Gulf of Guinea and the Congo coasts. Slave trade (although not based on race) and exchange between the kings led to the presence of Europeans on the West- and Central African shores, just as Africans in Portugal. Accounts from those days tell us that the sight of black people in the streets of Lisbon wasn’t a rarity during the Middle Ages, more on the contrary. I want to refer to following books for those who want to know more about this topic: 
Black Africans in Renaissance Europe, Thomas Foster Earle,K. J. P. Lowe(eds.)
Africa’s discovery of Europe, David Northrup 

As a consequence of the slave trade free blacks also arrived in Europe between the 16th and 19th century. Blacks lived in London, Liverpool, Lisbon, Seville, … during the 17th and 18th century. Other historical books with scientific authority give you in depth knowledge of this:
Hugh Thomas’s ‘The Slave Trade’
Ivan Van Sertima’s ‘African Presence in Early Europe’
All this publications teach us something about this hidden part of European history.

Leo Africanus

Leo Africanus is often stated as one of these black and European noble men and scholars. But it is rather speculation to state if he was black or white. He was definitely a Maure but as racism, whiteness and blackness were unknown concepts as we know it today, we can’t know his ‘race’ for sure. This shouldn’t surprise anyone. Even very common socio-cultural concepts of today such as ‘French’, ‘German’ or ‘English’ didn’t exist in those days such that it would be silly to argue whether historical figures of those days were German or French. Same thing is valid for the white and black race as defined today. 

Famous Europeans with African ancestry (1500-1900)

Below I will list some of the most famous figures of European modern history (after 1500) who happened to be black or have African ancestry, but were integral parts of European (high) society. Most of the time the African ancestry of these people is ignored by history books although acknowledged and accepted by most history scholars. I think it throws a new light on the concepts of race and the meaning of blackness in the 21st century. 

Alessandro ‘il Moro’ de Medici 1510-1537 
Duke of Florence


Abram Petrovich Ganibal 1696-1781 
Major-general, military engineer, governor of Reval and nobleman of the Russian Empire


Anton Wilhelm Amo 1700-1775 
German Philosopher


Ignatius Sancho 1729–1780 
Author and abolitionist, UK

Olaudah Equiano a.k.a. Gustavus Vassa 1745-1797Author and abolitionist, UK

Chevalier de Saint Georges 1745-1799A famous musican, composer and swardsman of his times
Listen to his music here. 

Thomas Alexandre Dumas 1762-1806A general of the French Revolution

George Polgreen Bridgetower 1780-1860Musician and composer
Listen and watch here 


Alexandre Pushkin 1799-1837
Famous author, great-grandson of Abraham Petrovich Ganibal

Alexandre Dumas 1802-1870 
French author of the world famous tale of ‘The Three Musketeers’, Thomas Alexandre Dumas’s son

John Archer 1863-1931 
Presumably UK’s first black mayor, political activist

Samuel Coleridge-Taylor 1875-1912Musician and composer
Listen to his music here

(via afroeurope.blogspot.nl)

you mean black people didn’t just appear in time for slavery?!?

gettingahealthybody: What is overnight oats? Overnight oats (OO) is basically oats soaked in the liquid of your choice. Either milk or yogurt, but you can always experiment with other kinds. It is often chilled overnight (hence the name) and usually left uncooked. However you can heat it up if you prefer to. It is perfect for days when you are in a rush to make breakfast, just make it in a jar the day before and it’s ready to go the next day.  You can add any kinds of toppings you want to it. You can add fresh fruits, nuts, dried fruits, peanut butter, etc. Many people also add chia seeds to the overnight oats. Be adventurous and try new additions, you might be pleasantly surprised! This is also good to put together with your kids, let them play around with their favorite toppings and learn more about fruits and nuts, etc. There’s no or minimal cooking involved, so it’s safe for them as well. In the following list, there are several sites that provide the recipes for a basic overnight oatmeal, and if can continue from there if you want to create your own personal one-of-a-kind oatmeal. Have fun! Remember, healthy doesn’t mean boring or tasteless! Overnight Oatmeal Mint Chocolate Chip Overnight Oats Strawberry Cookie Butter Overnight Oats Skinny Overnight Oats in a Jar 6 flavor varieties of Refrigerator Oatmeal Mango Almond Refrigerator Oatmeal Blueberry Maple Refrigerator Oatmeal Apple Cinnamon Refrigerator Oatmeal Banana Cocoa Refrigerator Oatmeal Banana Peanut Butter Refrigerator Oatmeal Raspberry Vanilla Refrigerator Oatmeal Overnight Oats (OO), Two Ways Basic Overnight Oats Pumpkin Peanut Butter OO Strawbery Banana OO Coconut mango overnight oatmeal Chocolate Cake Batter Overnight Oats Overnight Blueberry Almond Oats Overnight Refrigerator Oatmeal with Berries Banana Cream Pie Overnight Oatmeal Vegan Overnight Oat Parfaits Cherry Chocolate Bomb Vegan Overnight Oats Blueberry Vanilla Banana Soft Serve Vegan Overnight Oats Peanut Butter and Jam Vegan Overnight Oats Strawberry Banana Softserve and carob Vegan Overnight Oats Banana Split Vegan Overnight Oats Gingerbread Pumpkin Vegan Overnight Oat Parfait Neapolitan Vegan Overnight Oat Parfait Pumpkin Delight Vegan Overnight Oat Parfait Vegan Scottish Overnight Oats with Blueberry Banana Softserve Parfait  Basically these are the more popular and interesting creations of overnight oats that I found. However, this list is by no means exhaustive! Get creative and come up with your own favorite recipe.  The picture and recipes do not belong to me but to their respective owner. P.s: Here’s a link on how to spice up your oatmeal. http://gettingahealthybody.tumblr.com/post/29385595274/how-to-spice-up-your-oatmeal-oatmeal-101-in-a
Zoom

gettingahealthybody:

What is overnight oats?

Overnight oats (OO) is basically oats soaked in the liquid of your choice. Either milk or yogurt, but you can always experiment with other kinds. It is often chilled overnight (hence the name) and usually left uncooked. However you can heat it up if you prefer to. It is perfect for days when you are in a rush to make breakfast, just make it in a jar the day before and it’s ready to go the next day. 

You can add any kinds of toppings you want to it. You can add fresh fruits, nuts, dried fruits, peanut butter, etc. Many people also add chia seeds to the overnight oats. Be adventurous and try new additions, you might be pleasantly surprised!

This is also good to put together with your kids, let them play around with their favorite toppings and learn more about fruits and nuts, etc. There’s no or minimal cooking involved, so it’s safe for them as well.

In the following list, there are several sites that provide the recipes for a basic overnight oatmeal, and if can continue from there if you want to create your own personal one-of-a-kind oatmeal. Have fun! Remember, healthy doesn’t mean boring or tasteless!

Overnight Oatmeal

Mint Chocolate Chip Overnight Oats

Strawberry Cookie Butter Overnight Oats

Skinny Overnight Oats in a Jar

6 flavor varieties of Refrigerator Oatmeal

  • Mango Almond Refrigerator Oatmeal
  • Blueberry Maple Refrigerator Oatmeal
  • Apple Cinnamon Refrigerator Oatmeal
  • Banana Cocoa Refrigerator Oatmeal
  • Banana Peanut Butter Refrigerator Oatmeal
  • Raspberry Vanilla Refrigerator Oatmeal
  • Basic Overnight Oats
  • Pumpkin Peanut Butter OO
  • Strawbery Banana OO

Chocolate Cake Batter Overnight Oats

Overnight Blueberry Almond Oats

Overnight Refrigerator Oatmeal with Berries

Banana Cream Pie Overnight Oatmeal

Vegan Overnight Oat Parfaits

  • Cherry Chocolate Bomb Vegan Overnight Oats
  • Blueberry Vanilla Banana Soft Serve Vegan Overnight Oats
  • Peanut Butter and Jam Vegan Overnight Oats
  • Strawberry Banana Softserve and carob Vegan Overnight Oats
  • Banana Split Vegan Overnight Oats
  • Gingerbread Pumpkin Vegan Overnight Oat Parfait
  • Neapolitan Vegan Overnight Oat Parfait

Pumpkin Delight Vegan Overnight Oat Parfait

Vegan Scottish Overnight Oats with Blueberry Banana Softserve Parfait 

Basically these are the more popular and interesting creations of overnight oats that I found. However, this list is by no means exhaustive! Get creative and come up with your own favorite recipe. 

The picture and recipes do not belong to me but to their respective owner.

P.s: Here’s a link on how to spice up your oatmeal.

http://gettingahealthybody.tumblr.com/post/29385595274/how-to-spice-up-your-oatmeal-oatmeal-101-in-a

[Who] does gain from the drugs trade? One unambiguous winner is the Western banking sector. In recent years a series of American and British banks, including Wachovia and HSBC, have been caught providing banking services to drug dealers. Bankers don’t move money around for nothing. They receive commissions for the service. And they are only part of a much larger infrastructure of lawyers, company formation agents, accountants and tax advisers who help turn the proceeds of crime into untraceable capital. The benefits for banks don’t stop there. Antonio Maria Costa, the head of the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime, told the Observer newspaper that ‘in many instances, the money from drugs was the only liquid investment capital’ that the banks could access during the credit squeeze of 2008. ‘There were signs,’ he said, ‘that some banks were rescued that way.’
So who’s winning the war on drugs? (via theamericanbear)
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