THEY CAME Before GOLUMBUS THE AFRICAN PRESENCE IN ANCIENT AMERICA IVAN VAN SERTIMA “Brilliantly, I think, [Van Sertima] has demonstrated that there is far more to black history than the slave trade... . There is nggggetion but that the book is a landmark.” —Joux A.W A“FASGINATING.” —The Adantic Monthly "AN IMMENSELY IMPRESSIVE BOOK WELL-WRITTEN AND GLEAR.” — , I Mey Came Before Calunbus revels acconipelling, damaue sadlensebly detailed documentation of the presence and legacy of Africans in ancient ‘America: Examining navigation and. shipbuilding; cultural analogies beeween Native ‘Americans and Afficans; the transportation of plants, animals, and textiles berween the continents; and the diaries, journals, and oral accounts of the explorers themselves, Ivan Wan Seriina builds pyeanid of endence’te eappart his dim of an Altiean presence in the New World centuries before Columbus. Combining impressive scholarship with Z novelis’s gift riaorytelling, Wan Sertioa re-creates some off dhe mast poweilal scenes of humar: history: the launching of the-great ships of Mali in x310 (owo hundred master boats and two hundred supply boats), the sea expedition of the Mandingo king in 131, and many others. In Theo Came Before Columbus, we see clearly the unmistakable face and handprint of black Africans in pre-Columbian America, and their overwhelming iinpacrion:the eviliracione dheyicnosannered. “I can’t praise this book enough! I kept shaking my head over its power” —Isumaet Reep “Compreherisive and convincing ... 2 big boost 10 black culeural history.” —Publishers Weekly IVAN VAN SERTIMAY pioncering work in linguistics and anthropology has appeared in numerous scholarly journals. Professor Van Sertima teaches Afro-American studies at Rutgers University. Join our history/biography newsletter by sending a blank e-mail to sub_rht-history@info.randomhouse com fr visit www.atrandem.com Cover design: Allison Warner & RANDOM HOUSE TRADE PAPERBACKABOUT THE AUTHOR IvaN VAN SERTIMA's pioneering work in linguistics and anthro- pology has appeared in numerous anthologies and journals. He is a regular contributor to the Inter-American Review, has pub- lished a collection of poems, critical essays and a Swahili Dic- tionary of Legal Terms, and has written on the subject of the African presence in Pre-Columbian America for The New York Times. Professor Van Sertima teaches at Rutgers University.