February 11th: Did You know --- Ludwig Van Beethoven was half black

http://open.salon.com/blog/ronp01/2009/09/27/the_african_heritage_of_ludwig_van_beethoven

I recently found out that Ludwig Van Beethoven, long considered Europe’s greatest classical music composer was a black man. Specifically, his mother was a Moor, that group of Muslim Northern Africans who conquered parts of Europe. Emil Ludwig, in his book “Beethoven,” says: “His face reveals no trace of the German. He was so dark that people dubbed him Spagnol [dark-skinned].” ” Frederick Hertz, German anthropologist, used these terms to describe him: “Negroid traits, dark skin, flat, thick nose.”

Moors: The Moors came from the North African country of Morocco and crossed the Strait of Gibraltar to get into the Iberian Peninsula. In Spain, modern colloquial Spanish use of the term "Moro" is derogatory for Moroccans in particular

and North Africans in general. Similarly, in modern, colloquial Portuguese, the term "Mouro" was primarily used as a designation for North Africans and secondarily as a derogatory and ironic term by northern Portuguese to refer to the inhabitants of the southern parts of the country (Lisbon, Alentejo and Algarve). However, this designation has gained more acceptance in the South.

In speaking of the immortal Haydn, who was Beethoven's teacher, Andre de Hevesy says: "Everybody knows the incident at Kismarton or Eisenstadt, the residence of Prince Esterhazy. In the middle of the first allegro of Haydn's symphony, His Highness asked the name of the author. He was brought forward. "'What!' exclaimed the Prince, 'the music is by this Blackamoor? 'Well, my fine Blackamoor, henceforward, thou art in my service.'"
Carpani, who originally related this says that "Haydn's complexion gave room for the sarcasm." And that Haydn had the title of "second professor of music but his new comrades called him "The Moor"." (G. Carpani: Le Haydn, etc. Letter 5. Milan, 1812).

To back up more of my facts, referring to the above incident, Alexander W. Thayer, perhaps the foremost authority on Beethoven, says, "Beethoven had even more of the Moor in his features than his master, 'Haydn.'" (Beethoven, Vol. I, p. 146). By "Moor" was meant "Negro." Until recent times, the German for "Negro" was "Mohr."

Beethoven's family originated in Belgium, which had been ruled for centuries by the Spaniards, who had large numbers of Negro soldiers in their army there. Theophile Gautier speaks of a Belgian type characterized by brown skin and dark hair "a second race which the soldiers of the Spanish Duke of Alva have sown between Brussels and Cambrai."

In short, the general description of Beethoven, even to his frizzly hair, fits that of many an Aframerican or West Indian mulatto. In the Southern States Beethoven would have been forced to ride in the jim-crow car.

Everything indicates that Beethoven, one of the greatest musical composers of all times, was Black. Why aren't we generally taught this? What are your opinions on this?