Joseph Julius Jackson was an African-American preacher who published 'The History of the Black Man' (1921). The book discusses the influence of African civilization upon ancient history, and covers the black kingdoms of Ghana, Sudan, Melle, Hausa, Songhay, as well as the Moorish dynasty of Spain in some detail. The bulk of the work is devoted to the history of the American negro from 1619 to the early decades of the twentieth century. Jackson argues that the lack of knowledge about their origins and past has undermined the pride of the African-American community.