How Did Africa Get Its Name?

It is important to know how Africa got its

name or its origins or etymology. According to Drs. Walter Milton, Jr. and Dr. Joel Freeman, co-Authors of Black History, An Inclusive Account of American History, “The ancient name of Africa were called Alkebulan (Alkebu-lan) “mother of mankind” or Garden of Eden.

Alkebulan is the oldest and the only word of indigenous (native to a particular region), origin. It was used by the Moors, Nubians, Numidians, Khart-Haddans (Carthaginians), and Ethiopians – all civilizations of Ancient Africa. The current untruth adopted by everyone today was given to this continent by the ancient Greeks and Romans” – It was not.

Regions of Africa are mentioned in many places throughout the biblical test. The name Africa was given to the continent by Roman invader Louis Africanus – who used the name Africa Terra (Land of the “Afri,” plural or “Afer” singular) – for the northern part of the contentment.

“Africanus” is Latin for African and, in many instances, signifies African origin. For example, a name such as General Scipio Africanus is interpreted as “Scipio of Africa” That would mean the general was named for his being from Africa.

According to Dr. Ivan Van Sertima, a prolific writer and researcher of African history and culture, the term “Afru-ika” or “Motherland” was in existence long before the name “Africanus.” Afru-ika derives from the ancient Egyptian language and is part of the Afro-Asiatic” language family: Hebrew, Arabic Ge’ez, and Aramaic also Afro-Asiatic languages.

In Kemetic History of Afrika Dr. Diop also connects the revolution of the present west African countries to have originated from ancient Kemet that is today’s Egypt, West African states like Nigeria, Togo, Benin, Ghana, Senegal, Gambia, Guinea, Mali, South Africa, Burkina Faso, Mauritania, Sudan, among others.

“According to history scholars, the name Africa came into existence in the late 17th century. The name was initially used only to refer to the Northern parts of Africa. During this period colonialism was in practice, the Europeans roamed Africa and ruled over her people as slave masters. This influenced the change of name from Alkebulan to Africa,”

Photo from Sunnyside Magazine - "A Kem person is defined by these cultural values, not the color of their skin. In the word Kemet, you have the word “Kem.” Kem translates to something that is burned and cannot be burned again, as once something has been burned or combusted, it is the last possible transformation that an object can go through," (Sunnyside Magazine)