I wonder how that pro-slavery neighbor would react if he knew his ancestors (and, for that matter, everyone's ancestors) originated in Africa.

Meanwhile there are a whole slew of towns, rivers, and mountain peaks with horrendously racist names. https://www.axios.com/2021/06/06/hundreds-places-offensive-racist-names-us

Is Africa near Palestine?

It is not.

Africa, Ohio is located just north of Columbus (in Central Ohio).

Palestine is located on Ohio’s border with Indiana, about 2 hours west of Africa. (119 mi / 192 km away)

East Palestine (of toxic train derailment fame) is on Ohio’s border with Pennsylvania, about 3 hours east of Africa. (159 mi / 256 km away)

It’s very close to Ha(a)rlem & Dublin though!

And

2:34 from Amsterdam

2:25 from Poland

2:17 from Oxford

2:16 from Moscow

2 hours from Cairo

1:50 from Milan

1:30 from Athens

You can travel half of Europe and part of Africa in Ohio.

You forgot London, Ohio.

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Lima, Toledo, Berlin, Warsaw etc

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A drop in the bucket, but worth noting at least that the supposed meaning of Anna, Illinois, given in that article is a backronym. It was named for the founder's wife. While portmanteaus aren't unheard of for town names (hello, Texarkana), acronyms aren't generally a thing.

And that sign is also a Pokestop in case anyone is wondering..

There was a series of octagon houses leading to Canada. They were spaced as far as person could walk in a day. The idea was, the houses were strange enough people could ask about the house, and not seem odd. Every house was a station on the underground railway.

I wonder if anyone has blessed the rain there

I grew up just 15 minutes southwest of Berlin. It was funny hearing how it was pronounced by people out of town, assuming it was the same as the city in Germany. We pronounce it with a short r, like Berling. As a kid I didn't realize I was the one pronouncing the German city's name wrong until I was probably 7.

I forgot we had Amsterdam and Milan.

Don't forget Mecca and Medina. It's a WAY shorter hajj

Ironically with the news in East Palestine, they pronounce it closer to the original Arabic

I've noticed that as well, my grandparents lived in Salem and I was up there a lot, getting to know the area quite a bit. My grandfather, being a man who loved trains his whole life and growing up in that area for nearly his entire life, would be having a field day talking about that news had he lived a few months longer lol