SuitabookThe History of We
Nikkolas Smith
- Reading
- Read the poetic spreads aloud, pause to discuss the questions they raise, then revisit the annotated timeline. Invite the reader to compare the emotional artwork with the factual details.
- Themes
- Shared human origins: The book presents humanity’s beginnings in Africa and develops the idea that people across the world share connected origins. Shared ancestry and human connection are treated as central, valuable ideas rather than distant historical facts alone.
- Whose history is remembered: The author’s note positions the work as a response to histories omitted from some textbooks, including early African civilisations, while depicting Black adults and children creating and thriving. The book positively foregrounds African beginnings and Black representation as an important part of humanity’s history.
- Curiosity and human making: The narrative connects early human life with art, music, cultivation, medicine, architecture, travel, exploration and other forms of discovery. Curiosity, creativity and collaboration are presented as forces that help people understand and shape their world.
- Worth knowing
- Its compressed treatment may leave limited room for detail or differing interpretations of complex anthropological history.