The scientific findings show Neanderthals originated in Africa. However, the Neanderthals of Africa were of hte African type. They also existed before the European Neanderthal.

These early African Neanderthals were not hairy and pale-skinned. They were actually darkskinned and had sparse body hair (very little).

Homo sapiens in Began in South Africa and the Omo/Kanjera regions of Ethiopia and Kenya. They displaced the African Neanderthal, who existed long before the European Neanderthal.

African Neanderthal remains have been found in Africa and all the way to Isreal dating before the emergence of European Neanderthals.

However, before there were Neanderthals in Europe, an African homonid called Homo Erectus lived first in Africa, then moved to Europe. That Homonid was not fully human, NOR WAS NEANDERTHAL.

Neanderthal did not have a fully developed FRONTAL LOBE, and that part of the brain is needed for complete human logical thinking. The ancient African Grimaldi did have a fully developed the frontal lobe and was darkskinned, hairless, tall and began to make clothes and advanced weapons of stone and bone (see Semliki River Finds, Zaire, 1994: Jet Magazine, San Francisco Chronicle).
(See also, "A History of Racism and Terrorism, Rebellion and Overcoming," pub. by http://www.Xlibris.com )

The African Neanderthal has not been studied much, but they were many times more advanced than the European Neanderthal. In fact, an area of study of the beginning of civilization that is being studied today is the Sahara. Before the 'wet' phase (flooded, thousands of years of rain), the Sahara was a fertile region with trees and forests. It is from that region that the Australian Aborigines (Anu, Anuak), Kong, Pygmies, and both tall and short African people living today established advanced culture on a higher level than before. That period is between 100,000 to 50,000 years ago.