The Black History Truth: Argentina, Aquí no hay negroes - There are no Blacks here by Pamela Gayle is a non-fiction historical workbook on the fallacies of the Eurocentric revisionist history that has been taught and accepted as categorical fact for centuries. Gayle begins by addressing colonialism under the fundamental belief of the exceptionalism of occidental culture, religion, character, and ideologies. Gayle sets the record straight by disconnecting entirely from the core periphery and dissects the birth of slavery and racism, and its evolution as it applies to the Argentine Republic. Photographs, text, and artwork bring a visual element to Gayle's narrative, and round-up questions at the end allow for further, more personalized exploration by readers.

Pamela Gayle has accumulated a massive amount of true world history in the ambitious and wholly important book: The Black History Truth: Argentina. The writing is tight and straightforward, broken down into compact sections that educate without overwhelming. This was particularly important as I read the book with my teenage daughter, and it allowed us to go back and easily reference areas later. I also learned a ton about Argentinian history, with the entire continent of South America being conveniently left out of the world history curriculum in the Western world. The most fascinating chapter to me revolved around the manumission of slaves, and how the laws clearly stipulated the acts that could free a human being from bondage, as well as the shocking degree to which these laws were ignored. I use the word shocking with intent, in a book that is filled from cover to cover not just with the horrors and the atrocities of the Argentine past, but how it remains embedded in the laws and culture even today. Very highly recommended.

The Black History Truth: Argentina (Aquí no hay Negroes—There are no Blacks Here) by Pamela Gayle is a history of Argentina, particularly between the 16th and 19th centuries. The book begins with geographical facts about Argentina and then delves into the country’s history. Each chapter and chapter section starts with a question and ends with a list of activities for readers to conduct. There are more than 200 activities, and the book contains more than 80 illustrations, along with maps, drawings, and historical documents, such as the page that shows the accounting of the sale of slaves. The facts are well-documented, and the book concludes with a comprehensive glossary and a list of references.

The fascinating history and geographical information about Argentina alone makes the book a valuable read. The Black History Truth reads like a history book but is much more interesting than the typical history textbook. One reason for that is because author Pamela Gayle includes plenty of people-centered anecdotes, along with photographs, maps, and historical documents. This book would be an excellent resource for high school or college students. When I began reading the book, I had virtually no knowledge of Argentina; I now feel I have a solid understanding of the country’s geography, history, and culture between the 16th and 19th centuries. I highly recommend it, even for those who may think they have no interest in Argentina. This book will pique your interest and make you want to learn more.