Why Aren't We Creating New Images of Africa's Greatest Figures & Civs?

[00:00:00]Hey everyone, welcome back to another video. Now, this is going to be a very short video because it is not something too in-depth, but I wanted to pose a question to everyone and see if anyone else has noticed the same phenomenon that I have noticed when it comes to historical African figures. Now, if you are someone who genuinely enjoys researching African history, whether that is African kingdoms, leaders, historical figures, civilizations, or anything related to that, I am sure you have used Google at some point to search for images. Maybe you're looking for imagery for a project, a video, an article, artwork, or simply because you are interested in learning more about these figures. And I'm pretty sure by now you have noticed something. We constantly see the same images repeated over and over again when it comes to certain African historical figures. Take Mansa Musa for example. He is probably one of the most recognizable African historical figures today. However, when you search for him, you will notice that we consistently see the same few images being used repeatedly. The same illustrations, the same artistic interpretations, [music] the same visual representation. Now, that is not necessarily a bad thing. Maybe people simply like that particular image. Maybe that interpretation resonates with a lot of people. Maybe it has become the accepted representation of who Mansa Musa was. But then, when you look at historical figures from other parts of the world, particularly Europe, you start noticing something different. Take someone like Alexander the Great for example. When you search for him, you will find countless different interpretations, illustrations, paintings, sculptures, and artistic representations. There are constant attempts to reimagine what he might have looked like, how he might have carried himself, and how different artists interpret his legacy. You begin to notice that there seems to be a much stronger culture of continuously producing new imagery of historical European figures, whether it is from professional historians, artists, filmmakers, game developers, or simply people who admire these figures, there is a constant effort to keep these individuals visually alive in the public imagination. You see different interpretations of European leaders from different periods of history. New portraits, new artwork, new designs, and new creative representations continue to emerge. This allows these historical figures to remain present in people's minds and allows new generations to connect with them. But, when it comes to African figures, African leaders, and African civilizations, we do not seem to have that same consistent stream of new and updated imagery. Instead, we often see the same images being recycled again and again. The same depictions of African kings, queens, warriors, and civilizations continue to be used sometimes for decades without many new interpretations being created. And that got me thinking, this is part of what I mean when I talk about how we view ourselves, how we carry ourselves, and how we express pride within our own history. I know there are many talented African artists. There are many people within our communities who are incredibly creative and capable of producing amazing works of art, whether that is realistic portraits, fictional artwork, digital illustrations, sculptures, animations, or any other form of creative expression. So, the question I have is, why are we not seeing more of this? I am not trying to blame anyone. I am not saying that there is some simple answer or that one group of people is responsible. I am simply asking a question that I feel many people may not have considered. Why don't we see more artists creating imagined versions of historical African figures? Why don't we see more reinterpretations of African kingdoms?

[00:03:33]Why don't we see more modern artistic representations of African civilizations and the people who built them? Because surely this is something many people have noticed. For example, we have not really seen a major updated visual representation of Mansa Musa in a very long time. When new interpretations do appear, they often come from external sources such as video games like the Civilization series, Age of Empires, or similar forms of media. But, outside of those spaces, where are the new portraits? Where are the new artistic interpretations? Where are the new visions of what these historical figures could look like? And I want to make it clear, I am not saying that every African person should know every African historical figure. That is not the point. The point is that we do not seem to have the same visual culture of constantly recreating and celebrating our historical figures. And it is not only Europeans. If you look at East Asian civilizations, you also see a similar pattern. There are constantly new illustrations, new portraits, new artistic interpretations, and new representations of historical Asian leaders and figures. One thing I have noticed, and this is difficult to fully explain, is that many European and Asian societies seem to have developed a different relationship with their history and historical figures compared to many African societies. Now, do not quote me on this because this is just my personal speculation and hypothesis, but I wonder if part of it comes down to how societies view themselves. Perhaps Europeans and Asians have developed a stronger sense that their historical figures are central characters in their own stories. They view these figures as symbols of greatness, ambition, power, and achievement. They continue to honor and recreate these individuals because they believe these stories can inspire future generations to follow in their footsteps. They preserve that idea of legacy, importance, and historical continuity. But, when it comes to Africans, there seems to be a contradiction. Africans often talk about our ancestors. It is one of the things that connects many African cultures. We frequently mention our ancestors, respect our ancestors, and speak about the importance of remembering those who came before us. Yet, at the same time, we seem less likely to consistently honor those ancestors through sculptures, statues, portraits, illustrations, and modern artistic representations. And that is something I find fascinating. We are a global community of over 1.2 billion people, and yet we still rely heavily on the same limited imagery of some of our most famous historical figures. Take Mansa Musa again. If you search his name, he is often the first African historical leader many people encounter. He represents wealth, power, influence, and one of the greatest African kingdoms in history. Yet, despite his importance, we still mostly see the same visual representation that has existed for years. Now, compare that with someone like Alexander the Great. Again, I am using him only as an example because he is one of the most well-known and documented historical figures. There are always new artistic interpretations of him, new paintings, new illustrations, new designs, and new ways of imagining his appearance. Why? Because people are constantly motivated to recreate and celebrate his image. So, the question I want everyone to think about is, why don't we do the same thing with our own historical figures? Why don't we see more new portraits of African kings, queens, scholars, warriors, and leaders?

[00:06:54]Why don't we see more artists creating their own interpretations of African history? Is it because of a lack of interest? A lack of awareness? A lack of funding? A lack of historical resources?

[00:07:05]Or is it something deeper about how we have been taught to view our own history?

[00:07:09]I do not have the answer. I am simply raising the question because I think it is an interesting conversation to have.

[00:07:15]I think this is something we really need to contemplate within our own communities. Imagery is far more important than many people realize.

[00:07:22]Images are not just pictures, they are symbols. They shape how people understand themselves, how they view their history, and how future generations imagine what is possible for them. When a child grows up constantly seeing images of great leaders, thinkers, warriors, inventors, and builders who look like them, who who from their own heritage, and who represent greatness, it creates a powerful psychological connection. It shows them that achievement, excellence, and greatness are not foreign concepts.

[00:07:50]It shows them that people who came before them were capable of extraordinary things, and therefore they themselves are capable of extraordinary things. This is why representation matters. A civilization's stories are not only preserved through written records. They are preserved through art, architecture, music, film, sculpture, and visual culture. These things create an emotional connection to history. They allow people to not just learn about the past, but to feel connected to it. We need to become more comfortable with seeing ourselves as the center of our own stories and carrying ourselves with that same confidence. Be the center of the universe itself. This does not mean believing that we are better than anyone else. It means recognizing that every civilization and every culture has the right to celebrate its own achievements, honor its own heroes, and preserve its own legacy. Many civilizations throughout history have done exactly this. They have created monuments, paintings, statues, literature, and countless forms of artistic expression to remind themselves and future generations of where they came from and what their ancestors achieved. We can say that we have a great and vast civilization. We can talk about the achievements of African kingdoms, the accomplishments of African scholars, the wealth of African empires, and the contributions African societies have made throughout history. But if the people themselves are not inspired to create, imagine, and produce art that brings those stories to life, then we have to ask ourselves, how effectively are we truly preserving that history?

[00:09:18]History cannot survive through words alone. A person can read about Mansa Musa's wealth, the Mali Empire's influence, the intellectual achievements of Timbuktu, or the military accomplishments of great African leaders. But there is something different about seeing those stories visually represented. There is something powerful about seeing a detailed portrait, a cinematic depiction, a sculpture, or a piece of artwork that allows someone to connect emotionally with that history. Art has the ability to make history feel alive. It can spark curiosity in young people. It can encourage them to ask questions. It can inspire them to learn more about their heritage. It can motivate future generations to believe that they too can contribute something meaningful to the world. If we want people to truly appreciate the greatness of African history, then we have to participate in preserving and expanding that history through every possible medium. We need writers telling these stories. We need filmmakers creating these worlds. We need artists imagining these figures. We need designers, animators, musicians, and creators bringing these histories into modern culture. Because if we do not create these images ourselves, then we leave the responsibility of representing our history to others. And while outside perspectives can sometimes be valuable, there is something uniquely powerful about a people telling their own stories and imagining their own ancestors. The question is not whether African history is worthy of being represented. The question is whether we are willing to invest the creativity, effort, and imagination required to represent it. Because the civilizations of our ancestors were built through vision, creativity, and ambition. And preserving their legacy requires those same qualities from us today. Anyways, that's all I wanted to talk about today.

[00:11:02]Let me know what you think about it.

[00:11:04]Before I go, I'd like to remind you all that I am creating an app dedicated to news about Africa and the African diaspora. You can learn more by visiting the website linked in the description.

[00:11:15]The idea behind the app is simple: to help bridge the information gap surrounding our communities. We live in a time where information is everywhere, yet many important stories from Africa and the global black diaspora remain fragmented, overlooked, or buried by algorithms that prioritize engagement over importance. I want to change that by creating a platform where people can easily discover news, culture, innovation, and community stories that truly matter, not just what happens to go viral. The app is also designed to support independent journalists, creators, researchers, and community voices who often struggle to reach audiences because of unpredictable algorithms and changing platform rules.

[00:11:57]The goal is to build a space where our stories are easy to find, understand, and share. If you're interested, visit the website, join the wait list, and shape the platform. And thank you to those who took part in the closed beta.

[00:12:09]Your feedback helped a lot to get the app closer to where it needs to be.

[00:12:13]That's it for me. Be sure to like, subscribe, and I'll catch you guys next time. Peace.