The original Black Jews

Object Details

Author

Windsor, Rudolph R. 1935-

Smithsonian Libraries African Art Index Project DSI

The author discusses the origins of the Hamites and Shemites (or Semites). He states that the original Israelites were of the Black race and that the biblical Abraham (or Abram) was a Black Shemite (a descendant of Shem). Abraham was the father of both the Hebrew-Israelite and Arab nations. The Black Shemites intermarried with Black Hamite Egyptian women, giving rise to the Arab nation. The author also states that Arabia was originally inhabited by the Ethiopians (also known as Cushites) prior to the progenitors of the Arabs. Many of today's Arabs are not Black due to the introduction of white slavery.

The story of King Solomon of Jerusalem and the Queen of Sheba (known as Makeda by the Ethiopians) points to the origins of the present black Jews of Ethiopia, known as the Falashas. The Falashas claim descent from the child of King Solomon and the Queen of Sheba, Menilek I. The queen returned to Sheba (which was part of the Ethiopian empire) with Menelik I. Later, Menelik was sent to his father in Jerusalem to be educated (where he accepted the name David). The Jews who returned to Ethiopia with Menelik I are claimed to be the ancestors of the Falashas (the Ethiopian emperor, Haile Selassie was also believed to be a descendant of Solomon and the Queen of Sheba).

The also describes the origins of Christianity and Islam, which are the "offspring" of Judaism (the author refers to Christianity and Islam as the two daughters of Judaism).

1969

Call number

GN645 .W53X

Type

Articles

Smithsonian Libraries

Topic

Jews, Ethiopian

Jews--History

Falasha

Record ID

siris_sil_786641

Metadata Usage (text)

CC0