Almost 120 years after it gained currency, history consultant Kwaku argues that if pan-Africanism is not to atrophy into nothing more than a topic confined to political discussion and academic discourse, Africans, particularly African leaders must capture the imagination and support of their people by putting forward bold pan-Africanist visions, with a belief and determination to bring them into reality.
The alternative, he contends, is the begging bowl mentality which sinks African nations on the continent and the diaspora deeper into debt-trap and lack of sovereignty. Taking the subject outside academia and political meetings, BTWSC/African Histories Revisited, TAOBQ (The African Or Black Question), Friends Of Marcus Garvey Bust Collective and Brent Museum and Archives invite you to join the third Marcus Garvey Annual Pan-Africanism Presentation – ‘Highlighting Pioneering Non-Anglo Diasporan And Continental Pan-Africanists’/’Where Is The Pan-Africanism Vision?’.
Although the concept of pan-Africanism has a long history, its well-known pioneers have generally been drawn from the Anglo diaspora – names such as Henry Sylvester Williams, WEB Du Bois, Marcus Garvey, George Padmore, and Amy Ashwood Garvey, stand out. However, in her short audio-visual presentation ‘Highlighting Pioneering Non-Anglo Diasporan And Continental Pan-Africanists’, community activist Nana Asante will highlight some of the unsung pan-Africanists from the non-Anglo diaspora, such as Haiti, and from the African continent and the Caribbean, who deserve to be better known.
Using as a starting point the vision and blurb for Dr Kehinde Andrews’ ‘A Radical Vision Of A New Africa’ BBC Ideas video, which
is described as a “provocative vision for a future newtopia – a world where Africa is the ‘promised land’,” Kwaku posits that this utopian vision is achievable to a large extent, if Africans, particularly leaders, will identify with their commonality as Africans, have confidence in self and bold, pan-Africanist visions. Kwaku aims to show what can potentially be achieved if we have pan-Africanist leaders with vision, by screening Andrews’ and other videos to explore practical steps that can help bring bold visions towards reality.
Garveyites, non-Garveyists, and young people are invited to celebrate Garvey’s birthday and to participate in this community discussion on August 17, 6-9pm at Willesden Green Library. For more information or to book: AfricanHistoryPlus.eventbrite.com.