African American History
Trade was the most important economic activity in West African kingdoms of Ghana, Mali, and Songhai, with the main item of trade in this region being gold whereby these respective kingdoms controlled the transactions involving it. As part of their culture, the people of West Africa have been practicing trade, with this cultural practice still being embraced in America, whereby some of the international traders who are practicing various trading practices originate from West Africa. The implication of this is that the people from this region have reproduced themselves in America through trade. On the other hand, it is also noted that the people from West Africa had their skills transferred to build and develop America through slave trade, with this still being the case today, though not in the form of slavery. The transfer of critical skills from the region to America is through the process of brain drain, whereby America has been found to lure or attract the best professionals from West Africa to offer their professional services there (Kingsley, 2010).