BOOK REVIEW [Fear of a Black Goddess by Perry Kyles, Ph.D]

I consider Fear of a Black Goddess: The Hidden Hidden History of the Divine Mother a brief but important glimpse of a historical timeline. I think that it is important for women to know that the oldest carvings of the goddess is one that shows woman in her fullness of life and fullness of body as Dr. Kyles points out and provides photos of the various Venus statues dating back 500,000 years in Venus of Tan Tan (Morocco), Venus of Willendorf (Austria) and Venus of Dolnim Vestonice (Czech Republic). 

As he travels through the historical timeline he delves into what is known as the Year of Ntr in Kemetic Sacred Science where he talks about the 26,000 year rotation of Earth's immediate galaxy. In this time frame he tells how the divine feminine were regarded in ancient Egypt with the greatest of respect and veneration. He then shows how the ancient images of the divine mother Ast was replicated throughout all of the progressive civilizations that came in contact with the famous mother and child image that many people still worship today. 

He goes on to turn up the heat on patriarchal societies that not only stripped women of all cultures of their places of balance in societies, but they fabricated illusions in the minds of people of the world that the greatest goddess of all times was not out of Africa.  These societies, mostly religious, continued to worship the "Black Goddess" in secrecy while making the images of a "white madonna" as their representation for the world to see.

Dr. Kyles concludes this brief history by pointing out the negative images that have been attributed to women of African descent since the creation of slavery in the western world over the last 400 years, including and interesting story of Kimpa Vita of the Kongo. We are all familiar with these portrayals, the angry black woman, the mammy, and the jezebel. He then brings forth more positive images that should be the norm for societies now include Michelle Obama and Danari Gurira. 

Again, the history is interesting however, the "fear" is never explained in the book. I went in to this reading looking for a revelation but was disappointed when the history that was revealed were just stated historical facts and not the emotional outpouring of the "fear of a black goddess". 

Patriarchy has suppressed all women and I do get the point of the importance of this history as a tool of empowerment and awareness of the beautiful beginnings of women of African descent, but I must say that the book will date itself and become a brief historical reference. 

There is a constant movement among all women of the world to embrace their goddess potential and it has become a well respected movement to give reverence to the goddesses of each unique culture. Those doors have opened and they will never be closed again. It is common and accepted knowledge now that life began in African and spread throughout the Earth. Everyone is of African descent. The DNA tests are revealing that to people of all cultures. 

I bought a copy of this book from the author at a community market. I enjoyed reading the history some of it was new, but if you are already well read in African and European history, you will find that the book provides some of the same info you've heard before. I do recommend the book to young readers who are just beginning a historical study on the subject. My rating for this book is a 4 anhk. 

K. Akua Gray

October 10, 2019

Houston, TX