Before the Ships: The Birth of Black Excellence

K-Gr 3–“Long before a slave ship sailed,/ we shined like stars—/ brilliant and beautiful,” Oso opens. Anthropological evidence confirms Oso’s verses: “The mother of mankind, we birthed creation, cradled civilizations, nurtured nations.” That African legacy, of royalty and empires “of great renown/ in shades of brown,” belongs to readers “just like you.” Before the ships there were sophisticated nations and communities of architects and warriors, musicians and storytellers, astronomers and engineers, dreamers and geniuses. “Here we stand,” despite and after the ships, “as amazing as we’ve always been,” fighting, excelling, achieving. Oso’s mighty manifesto, strengthened by Staunton's resonance, is a three-part production—narrated straight through, repeated with page-turns, appended with Oso’s self-narrated author’s note. A gentle musical score by award-winning composer/producer Matthew Head enhances Staunton’s lyrical, reverent recitation.