
![]() |
How have Black people influenced several cultures and countries across diverse geographies? With a collection of stories drawn from ancient art, news articles, documentaries, and rare books, Ben Israel reveals the unknown history of Black leaders, despite efforts to erase and, in many cases, rewrite it. Instead of barely scratching the surface, the book includes stories about historical figures such as the Immortals, a special unit of soldiers in the Persian army. Additional narratives feature Hannibal, a military leader who fought against Rome, St. Maurice, a knight who inspired stories of King Arthur, and Mark Dean, co-inventor of IBM's personal computer in the early 1980s, among others.
The author has clearly put his soul into his research, bringing many pieces of evidence to light, hoping to inspire people to learn about their leaders' sacrifices and build on them to apply a greater sense of fairness to the world. Readers may be surprised to discover how many well-known leaders or historical figures serve as Black role models in different eras. Chasing after truth is one key characteristic that stands out in the number of curated stories the author has collected over time. Beyond words, the book has visual elements that turn text into immersive storytelling. The book's structure uses outlines, bullet points, and so on to make it easy to grasp the content's scope. After turning the last page, readers may find themselves carrying these stories forward, now more aware of the past and more attentive to choices that shape the future.