Welcome to
“My goal is neither to discover Black history, nor to recover Black history; it is to uncover it.”
– Dr. Daud Watts
ABOUT POSITIVE IMAGE EDUCATION (PIE)
PIE aims to create simple, accurate, accessible lessons built on real historical sources. The Afro-Vision mission is to use primary sources and images to remove the lies that cover up our continental and global African history.
PIE began in 1992, when Dr. Daud Watts released several small publications including The Black Presence in the Lands of the Bible, Gifts of the Nile Valley, The 100,000 Horsemen of West Africa, The Urban Heritage of West Africa, and Timbuktu.
Dr. Watts independently lived, travelled, and studied in West Africa for 5 years, attending the University of Ghana, where he started his family. This continued for several more decades and included Daud earning a Masters and Ph.D., both in African American Studies.
ABOUT DR. WATTS
Dr. Daud Watts is a specialist in both African and African American history. He earned his Ph.D. in African American Studies from Temple University in 2011, his M.A. from Indiana University in 2001, and his B.A. from Trinity College (CT) in 1972. He has also studied at the University of Ghana and Fourah Bay College, Sierra Leone.
Furthermore, he taught and produced films for the DC Public Schools, authored materials for the African American History course mandated in the Philadelphia School system, and taught summer courses at the Smithsonian.
He most recently taught at Dillard University in New Orleans, before the Covid-19 pandemic. Dr. Watts is also a photographer and musician. He has five children, ten grandchildren, and three great-grandsons.
“Use your own mind. If someone tries to reduce any aspect of Black history to one-liners, don’t believe it. The African experience is always complex.”
– Dr. Daud Watts
What I Have Learned…
First, we are all Africans. What prevents us from seeing this fundamental truth are the many negative stereotypes used to debase Africa in our minds.
Second, use your own mind. If someone tries to reduce any aspect of Black history to one-liners, don’t believe it. The African experience is always complex.
Third, use primary sources -the early records- wherever possible. They will provide you with perspectives untainted by later political or ideological revisions.
Finally, I discovered that many primary sources contained huge amounts of amazing illustrations, charts, and maps. We will show you more than 100 of them.
History is full of positive images and powerful stories of African accomplishments like these.
CLICK TO PLAY
An excerpt from Dr. Watts teaching a 4-week class on the Black Presence in the Lands of the Bible at the Smithsonian (1994)
POSITIVE IMAGE EDUCATION (PIE) EDUCATIONAL PRODUCTS
The truth has been covered up for generations. What is this truth? It is that negative stereotypes of Black people begin and end with stereotypes of Africa itself. We cannot resolve the issues of racism without grappling with these deep-seated, ugly, and incorrect views about the true nature of Africa and of Black people.
This small book, Positive Image Education Through Primary Sources, has only 9 lessons, yet it can serve as a contribution to this new understanding of who Black people are, and why Black lives matter.
(Clockwise left to right) Dahomeyan diplomat on horseback 1884, General Ras Makonnen (father of Haile Sellasie II), Royal Nubian child ca.1890, young Zulu Warrior ca. 1900, Ethiopian Woman 1899, Mina Woman in Headwrap Brazil 1850, the King of Assinie Ivory Coast 1899, Shaikieh Arab woman 1899, a Cabinda man (Angola) 1899
9 New and Original Lessons in One Book!
Only 109 pages
Over 300 Images, Maps, and Diagrams – Historical and Modern
Over 700 links to Create a Positive, Deep dive into Africa
Searchable Content and Note-taking Functions
Lessons Clearly Distinguished by Unique Covers (above)
For Laptops, Desktops, Smartphones, and Tablets
With help from early source materials, and the work of a number of Afro-Centric scholars, we can now confirm what might seem to be an amazing fact – Most records from the past, including the Bible, paint a picture of the presence of millions of Black people. That’s right! AFRICANS BY THE MILLIONS!
In fact, Africans – whether in the numerical majority or the minority – are depicted at every possible level of ancient society, from Pharaohs to slaves, merchants to soldiers, musicians to doctors, and from fishermen to Hebrew prophets. Tremendous Black populations stretched from the coasts of the Atlantic Ocean to the Nile Valley, across Arabia, Persia and all the way to India.
Who were these ancient sons and daughters of Africa? The Black Presence in the Land of the Bible explores this subject in detail. Purchase a copy today!
SERVICES
Dr. Watts has engaged audiences with illustrated speaking engagements for over 50 years via lectures, seminars, workshops, panels, and online forums. Because he specializes in both African and African American history, he frequently cross-references them. Dr. Watts’ presentations (online or in person) are both information-rich, graphic, and energetic. They can be tailored to different audiences. Some of the topics that he engages include:
Africa
- Understanding how size affects African history and modern events
- Gifts of the Nile Valley
- Revisiting the history of West Africa
- Cavalry States in West African history
- How was Africa actually Colonized?
- African’s Massive Resistance to the Colonial Invasion 1879-1914
- The Black Presence in the Lands of the Bible
African American
- Black People, White People, and Indians on the Same Map
- 80,000 Escapes During the American Revolution
- The US stopped its African Slave Trade in 1808
- The 2nd Middle Passage
- What made Free States
- Civil War Contraband Camps and 500,000 Escapes
DR. WATTS IS AVAILABLE FOR
SPEAKING ENGAGEMENTS
Speaking engagements can be arranged online or in-person, incl. Lectures, Panels, Seminars and Workshops. Online or live events must be scheduled. Please check with Dr. Watts for his availability and rates.
POSITIVE IMAGE HISTORY CLASSES ONLINE
We offer online support for grades 7-12, to undergraduate classes. Instructors should begin by selecting one specific Lesson (from 1-9) or the Black Presence in the Lands of the Bible. Each student should have their own e-lesson, and teachers should teach their class that lesson. Dr. Watts will follow up and provide 60-90 minutes of enriched background, reference, context, and additional perspective in his follow-up class. Please check with Dr. Watts for his availability and rates.
ONE-ON-ONE CONSULTATION
I believe that many creative and dynamic projects appear in our future. That is, the future of our culture, our education, our creativity, and our efforts to produce quality materials and reproduce quality minds. If you have existing projects, existing research, or ideas that you want to develop, please check with Dr. Watts for his availability and rates.