Published by random house rather than an academic press they came before columbus was a best seller and achieved widespread attention within the african american community for his claims of prehistoric african contact and diffusion of culture in central and south america. The pre columbian era incorporates all period subdivisions in the history of the americas before the appearance of significant european influences on the american continent spanning the time of the original settlement in the upper paleolithic period to european colonization during the early modern period while the phrase pre columbian era literally refers only to the time preceding . 1491 new revelations of the americas before columbus is a 2005 non fiction book by american author and science writer charles c mann about the pre columbian americas it was the 2006 winner of the national academies communication award for best creative work that helps the public understanding of topics in science engineering or medicine . More recently ivan van sertima speculated an african influence on mesoamerican culture in his book they came before columbus 1976 his claims included the attribution of mesoamerican pyramids calendar technology mummification and mythology to the arrival of africans by boat on currents running from western africa to the americas