The sentiment “Education is the most powerful tool you can use to change the world” by Nelson Mandela resonates well with the central theme conveyed in this book. Dark Matters: A Conversation with History, Saluting the Extraordinary Humanitarian Endeavours of South African Black Scientists is a chronicle of the journey of resilience by black scientists who used education as a weapon against the onslaught of apartheid. The book demystifies the notion that science came to Africa through colonisation and the arrival of the white people in the continent. Colin T Johnson argues that rock artists and the Khoisan used indigenous scientific means to orally narrate their stories about their culture, survival and indigenous medicine, among others. He highlights how black scientists and professionals strategically engaged in the struggle against apartheid by empowering themselves through education while others were engaged in the political struggle. He further laments the erosion of the scientific memory of African way of life and herbal knowledge in treating ailments and the agenda of dispossession by the imperialists. Moreover, the book celebrates the contribution of African scientists in advancing knowledge and making significant strides in various disciplines. A meticulously researched publication like this one is rare in South African history, where the author diligently collected Curriculum Vitaes and pictures of these outstanding African scientists to unveil their unique contributions to the liberation struggle through education. Therefore, this book fills the lacuna in the South African history which only recognises black political heroes and heroines while African scientists and professionals are rarely mentioned on how they have contributed to the liberation struggle.
