New Jersey Commentary

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The Watchdog of the South

As the journey across the United States unfolds we will be taking a very close look at some of the key players in the struggle for African liberation and their involvement, both involuntarily and voluntarily in the exploration, expansion, and development of the United States.

Before we do that however, an understanding of who African people are should be the order of the day. Some individuals might ask the question "Are African people even worth studying?" or perhaps they may ask "What cultural contributions of significance did Africans make to the development of the "American culture?" Well, apparently many people think that answers to these questions and others should be an integral part of our educational system and are vital for the appreciation of the "American Dream." So, as part of our inquiry let me first introduce you to the web site of the National Park Service (NPS) and the scholarly work they have done on the African people before (crucial), during, and after slavery. http://www.nps.gov/history/ethnography/aah/aaheritage/intro.htm

After a few days of viewing this site as our preliminary source of information, we will continue our ride into history. Also, for daily updates and podcast on the AMAAP journey visit NJ.com and type in "Where is Miles Dean" in the search box.

We invite you to add comments on the content of this web site on our blog. In addition, we will post commentaries during this ride from guest writers as we proceed across the country.

Again we say, "Welcome ... to the journey."