My Black Stars: From Lucy to Barack Obama

People, young and old, need stars to guide them. They need models to construct their own identity, to build their self-esteem, to change the way they see the world and to overcome their own and others' prejudice.

During my childhood, many stars were pointed out to me.

I admired them, dreamt about them: Socrates, Baudelaire, Einstein, Marie Curie, General de Gaulle, Mother Teresa.

But nobody ever spoke to me about black stars. The world of my education was white, from the colour of the school walls to the pages of my textbooks.

I knew nothing about my own ancestors. Slavery was the only black subject ever mentioned. In this vision, the history of black people could only ever be a vale of tears and strife.

Can you tell me the name of a black scientist? A black explorer? A black philosopher? If you don't know the answer to these questions, then, whatever the colour of your skin, this book is for you.