Why was I taught in high school that the egyptians were white?

Question

But as more and more people research, different evidence proves that they were people of color.

Answer 1

If your school taught you that the ancient Egyptians were white, as in the same as Europeans, then that is simply bad teaching.  However, it is true that Semitic and Hamitic people are considered part of the Caucasian or white race.

Caucasian is broken down into sub-groups: Indo-European, Semitic, Hamitic, Finn, and 2 other smaller groups that got swallowed up by the Indo-Europeans, the Mediterrenean and Caucasian (of the Caucusus region).  The people of ancient Egypt were a blend of Hamitic peoples living in North Africa, Semitic people from the near East, and Nubians (Black) from farther south.

Here is a little history on this to help you out.  Early man came out of Africa, long before we were modern let alone capable of civilizations. This happened even before the upper Paleolithic, when the Neanderthal man was already, not black, the main occupant of most places outside of sub-saharan Africa (peak 50,000 BC).

By the time the Neolithic age was well underway around 4500BC, the worlds races were already well developed and spread around the world. The inhabitants of the black race, were already positioned south of the Sahara.

Civilization did not begin before the neolithic age and since by then that portion of the globe was already inhabited by others than the black race, then at the most one could conclude that ancient Egypt was a blend of the 3 neighboring peoples; black (Kush as southern neighbors), hamitic, and semitic.

Therefor it is not accurate to say they were black like many claim now, but it is also mis-leading to say they are simply white like Europeans if one is never taught that white-caucasian was a very diverse group in many different locations.

Answer 2

I agree they had more color to their skin than white...I know someone who is part egyptian and his skin is a nice carmel color.

Answer 3

It largely depends on when you're talking about in Egyptian history. Traditionally, Egyptians have been darker complected, but not "black" as we think of it today. But through various times in Egyptian history, Egypt has been ruled by traditional Pharoahs, Kushites (true "black" Africans"), and Macedonians, the more classically "white" rulers. Cleopatra, the last of this line, was also the last pharoah of a free egypt.

   But because of its long history, and the waves of people of varying hues that have moved through or settled in Egypt, Egyptians are like many other great nations where the "natives" can be of many different complexions. This is true of the Romans, the British, and the Americans.

   But to answer your question, I don't think that it was so much a conscious decision to lie to students, as it was lazyness. Because the last rulers were "white", the teachers didn't think in terms of Egypt's complicated racial background. Personally, I think it would be best served to teach this history without mentioning race, but simply using artwork and depictions throughout Egyptian history to get the message acrosss. Those students interested can go on to find out more. Those who don't will still be exposed to the information, without losing too much time in a too-short school year.

Answer 4

There were a lot of misconceptions about other parts of the world - and unfortunately, many of them made their way into textbooks. It was generally assumed, in the early 1900s in the US, that people of color were not intelligent enough to rule a kingdom. This, despite the fact that people of color ruled kingdoms all around the globe. However, it suited the sensibilities of the times to assume that the Egyptians were not really colored, perhaps lightly tanned, but certainly nothing more than that. This perception continued for an amazingly long period of time - that's why you had Charleton Heston and Yul Brynner playing Egyptians in some of Cecil B. DeMille's epic productions. And that sort of depiction only perpetuated the misinformation that had been fed to the American public over the years.

It was much the same when Hollywood dealt with African nations, which had been in existance for thousands of years. These rulers were portrayed as savages living in huts and their people as illiterate animals. Nothing could have been farther from the truth. Unfortunately, it is a stereotype that still persists and it will take generations of work/research/education to convince the American public that this is not and was not the case. It's unfortuante, but one Mugabe can remain in the public memory much longer than a dozen Mandellas.

Answer 5

because you were in the special ed class - you didnt get given that dunce hat because you were good :D

Answer 6

There are also white Egyptian. I'm a white Egyptian. Yes, we have people of different colors too, like the poster above me mentioned there are many who have more a tannish color.  We are a semitic race but we also have nubians and they are more black.

Answer 7

The eqyptions were Olive skin colored. Just look at their pictures they drew of themselves with some color, but they also drew Neubians as much darker so it is not correct to say they are Black, and not correct to say they were white.

Answer 8

Some schools and history books gloss over the fact that North Africans were certainly not white.  Books have come a long way since then, but depending on which books you bought or where you got your education they may still be teaching it that way. Its possible that we ALL came from central Africa anyway!  Basil Davidson is a historian that really points out the achievements of Africans and how they influenced the rest of the world if you want to read more.

I went to a private school that was 99% white and I did not learn what the March on Selma or the importance of other elements of the civil rights movement.  :(  I'm trying to fix that in my own history class today by making sure my students learn about all cultures and the achievements of them.

Answer 9

'People of color' is a whacky American phrase - George Bush tried calling Moslem women 'women of cover' on one occassion, and that didn't impress anyone either.  If you are interested in Egyptian history, you have three choices.  (1) You can listen to crackpot fundies who will tell you Moses and his followers built the pyramids and left via the Red Sea, (2) You can go round the collectors record shops and buy yourself a whole pile of old Sun-Ra and the Arkestra albums, and maybe dress up as King Tut, or (3) You can get on a holiday flight to Egypt and take a look at the temples, tombs, museums etc. and listen to the guides.

The Nubian civilisation was originally dark skinned, though today the Nubians are mostly heavily Arabized, both in Egypt and in Sudan.  Lower Egypt was and is a mediterranean civilisation, with a population similar to those in much of North Africa.   The Ptolemies and Alexandrians were ethnically Greek,  the rest of the population of Lower Egypt was a mixture of largely semitic peoples.   If you are puzzled as to what color their skin was, you should take a look at the old tombs in the Valley of the Kings.  The paint is still on the walls, and you can see for yourself in their pictures. They were largely a 'copper coloured' people, like most around the Mediterranean.