Dr. John Aden: Is It Time To Retire They Came Before Columbus?

Dr. John Aden: Is It Time To Retire They Came Before Columbus? In this episode, we critically examine the ideas popularized by Ivan Van Sertima and his book They Came Before Columbus, focusing on claims about pre-Columbian contact between Africa and the Americas. We discuss arguments involving ancient Egyptians in the Americas, the Canary Current theory, and the story of Abu Bakr II of the Mali Empire allegedly sailing across the Atlantic. We also place these ideas in historical and scholarly context, asking what evidence exists, what remains speculative, and how these narratives have been received in mainstream archaeology and African diaspora studies. The conversation also explores how these theories have been used and sometimes misused in modern identity debates, including within segments of the “Pretindian” movement, where contested histories are sometimes invoked in ways that deny or obscure African ancestry. We break down the difference between Afrocentric historical reclamation, speculative historical reconstruction, and claims that lack archaeological or documentary support. This episode is about separating myth, interpretation, and evidence, while also understanding why these narratives carry such power in discussions of identity, history, and belonging. Subscribe to Wise the Dome TV for more conversations on African history, theory, and critical debates in Black studies and diaspora thought.