I'm sure those living in Timbuktu were writing books about how the English living in London at the time were barbarians in capable of learning to read or write.

I'm sure those living in Timbuktu were writing books about how the English living in London at the time were barbarians in capable of learning to read or write. You're sure about that, even though there is zero evidence whatsoever for it? Also, nowhere in this discussion has anyone said that anybody was incapable of learning to read or write. But rather that this was a skill imparted to the Africans by the Europeans.