7 Persistent Myths About Ancient Egypt You Will Never Look at The Same Again

Slaves building stuffEnslavement of The Israelites

While on the topic of the Hollywood film industry’s portrayal of the use of slave labor in ancient Egyptian pyramid building, it’s also appropriate to dispel the myth that Israelites were the slaves used. Not only were slaves not used to build pyramids, but there is no historic evidence at all suggesting Israelites were enslaved in ancient Egypt.

The reason why so much is known about the ancient Egyptians is because they kept thorough records. However, none of these records mention keeping a race of slaves, millions of Hebrews inhabiting or escaping Egypt, 10 plagues or the parting of the Red Sea.

Still independent.

We hope this story was worth your time. For over 14 years, Atlanta Black Star has stayed Black-owned and independently run. We didn't get here by waiting on ad budgets that were never built to prioritize us. Our readers did that.

Corporate support for Black media has always been thin. Outlets like ours get roughly 1% of the $170 billion spent on U.S. advertising each year, and that margin is shrinking further as advertisers walk back the DEI-linked commitments they made in 2020. That's the backdrop. It's not why we're asking.

The wider picture isn't any steadier. Newspaper ad revenue has fallen more than 80% since 2005, and local newsrooms are closing at a rate of roughly two a week nationwide. When outlets go under, it's rarely the ones built to center a Black perspective from the ground up that get to stick around.

We know a request for support isn't why you came here. But without readers choosing to fund this work directly, the depth of reporting we can do at home and abroad shrinks along with everyone else's. If you're not in a position to give, that doesn't change how much we value you as a reader.

If you are able to, a recurring contribution does more for us than a single one-time gift, because it lets us plan the next investigation instead of just the next invoice. It takes about 30 seconds, no long form, no account. Thank you for continuing to support independent journalism and freedom of the press.

Back to top