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Kwame Nkrumah Speech | All African Peoples Conference | Accra, Ghana | December 1958

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Rediscovering Pan-Africanism and Miriam Makeba

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1: Pan-Africanism Then and Now

Introduction to Pan-Africanism
"Pan-Africanism, the idea that peoples of African descent have common interests and should be unified. Historically, Pan-Africanism has often taken the shape of a political or cultural movement. There are many varieties of Pan-Africanism. In its narrowest political manifestation, Pan-Africanists envision a unified African nation where all people of the African diaspora can live. (African diaspora refers to the long-term historical process by which people of African descent have been scattered from their ancestral homelands to other parts of the world.) In more-general terms, Pan-Africanism is the sentiment that people of African descent have a great deal in common, a fact that deserves notice and even celebration." (Source: https://www.britannica.com/topic/Pan-Africanism)
"World War I brought thousands of African-Americans, Afro-Caribbeans, and Africans into contact with one another. The exigencies of war also led the imperial powers of Europe-Britain, France, and Germany-to train and employ colonial subjects in crucial industries while, as colonial combatants, many others saw firsthand the depravity that a supposedly superior European civilization had produced. Colonial soldiers also pointed to the racism implicit in being asked to fight to "make the world safe for democracy" when this world would not include them, a suspicion confirmed for many when the Allies refused to include a guarantee against racial discrimination in the League of Nations charter following the war. As a result, the interwar years witnessed an unprecedented growth in a sense of racial unity and the popularity of black internationalism."

Marcus Garvey

The History of Pan-Africanism

"The most famous Pan-Africanist movement of the period was Garveyism. After struggling for some time to attract an audience in his native Jamaica, Marcus Garvey emigrated to Harlem in 1916, where he and a young, educated Jamaican woman, Amy Ashwood (who later married Garvey), relocated the Universal Negro Improvement Association (U.N.I.A.; founded 1914) on firmer footing. The U.N.I.A. quickly became the largest African-American organization in history due, in large part, to the diligent work of black women in the movement, especially West Indian emigrants like Ashwood and Marcus Garvey's secretary and second wife, Amy Jacques (1896-1973).

The apogee of the U.N.I.A.'s success was probably its international convention in 1920, at which Garvey presented the Declaration of the Rights of the Negro Peoples of the World, demanding "self-determination for all peoples" and "the inherent right of the Negro to possess himself of Africa." Garvey's hubris-in declaring himself "the provisional president of Africa," for instance-and autocratic leadership, however, cost him important friends and supporters, and his flair for ostentatious public spectacles and inflated expectations led many leading African-American writers and scholars, for example, Alain Locke (1885-1954) and DuBois, to decry him as a liability to the race. With most of his commercial enterprises like the Black Star shipping line failing or already bankrupt, in 1922 the U.S. government arrested and jailed Garvey for five years before deporting him in 1927, effectively ending the organizational life of the U.N.I.A. in the United States. Nevertheless, Garvey's life and work left a powerful legacy around the African diaspora, and his ideas have reappeared in many guises, from the violent labor clashes in the Caribbean during the 1920s and 1930s to the more millenarian form of Garveyism that developed in South Africa."

Pan-Africanism After World War II

And Postcolonialism

Coming as it did immediately after the upheavals of World War II, the 1945 Pan-African Congress in Manchester marked a watershed in black internationalist activities around the Atlantic. Though ostensibly under DuBois's guidance, it was organized primarily by socialist Pan-Africanists in Britain, especially George Padmore, and was the first Congress to include a significant number of Africans like Jomo Kenyatta and Kwame Nkrumah (1909-1972), who served as assistant secretary and joint secretary, respectively.

"Following the Manchester Congress, the site of Pan-Africanist activities shifted from the United States and Europe to the colonies in the Caribbean and, particularly, Africa. In fact, many of the key figures in the movement-DuBois, Padmore, and Alphaeus Hunton-relocated to Africa during this period. In 1956, Padmore's classic Pan-Africanism or Communism? appeared, and in 1958 Nkrumah hosted the first All-Africa People's Conference at Accra in the wake of independence from British colonial rule in 1957 and the creation of an independent Ghana."

(Source: https://www.encyclopedia.com/history/asia-and-africa/african-history/pan-africanism)

Pan-Africanism Today

"When traveling in many African countries it is often striking to see how many young people feel attached to the concepts of African identity and African unity. In Cí´te d'Ivoire, Senegal and Cameroon, to give just three examples, pan-Africanism has become something close to a religion.

As the power of globalization continues to weaken boundaries of statehood, many young people in Africa are increasingly becoming aware of their own political and economic environment. It is in this regard that pan-Africanism has found a viable niche for renewal in the 21st century among an educated grouping of middle-class Africans.

Rather than focusing only on identity, this "˜new' pan-Africanism is also a call for democracy, good governance and economic development. The renewal of this pan-African attitude is manifested through increased intra-African trade, increased exchanges within Africa's universities, continent-wide calls for good governance and the ubiquitous and growing membership of pan-Africanist groups on social media platforms.

Dreaming of a brighter future, most young people are tired of dictatorial leaders who have clung to power since independence."

(Source https://africanarguments.org/2015/06/30/the-rise-and-paradoxes-of-pan-africanism-toda)

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"Pan-Africanism, the idea that peoples of African descent have common interests and should be unified. Historically, Pan-Africanism has often taken the shape of a political or cultural movement. There are many varieties of Pan-Africanism. In its narrowest political manifestation, Pan-Africanists envision a unified African nation where all people of the African diaspora can live.

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Apartheid (meaning "apartness" in the language of Afrikaans) was a system of segregationist policies against non-white citizens in South Africa. Lasting for the better part of 50 years, this system of racial segregation and white supremacy was marked by a physical separation of non-white South Africans and white South Africans, even going as far as to strip black South Africans of their land and forcing them into poverty, as well as removing black South Africans from the nations's political body.

Opposition to apartheid in South Africa ranged from non-violent protests to political action and armed resistance. The Sharpesville massacre in March of 1960, a non-violent resistance demonstration that resulted in the death of more than 60 black South Africans and the wounding of 180 more, led anti-apartheid leaders to establish military wings. Nelson Madela, a founder of the military wing of the African National Congress, was imprisoned from 1963-1990.

In 1976, thousands of black children in Soweto were killed while protesting against the Afrikaans language (which black South African students were forced to learn in place of English as a way to limit them). Gaining international attention, this event increased opposition to apartheid policies. Facing pressure, support for the system continued to lessen until, in 1994, the all-white government was replaced by a nonwhite majority, marking an official end to apartheid.

Taking place mainly during the 1950s and 1960s, this struggle for social justice in the United States was marked by a mobilized effort to gain equal rights for Black Americans under the law.

Key activists and figures included Martin Luther King, Jr., whose push for nonviolence and peaceful protests led to organized efforts such as sit-ins, bus boycotts, and the March on Washington in August of 1963, where an estimated 250,000 people gathered to draw attention to the inequalities that existed in the United States.

Malcolm X and Stokely Carmichael were major figures of the Black Panther Party, which began as a direct challenge to police brutality. The party also organized important community programs, like providing access to food, healthcare, and education to those in need of services. Leaders of the Black Panther Party became vilified and were accused of criminal activities that led to waning membership in the 1970s and 1980s.

Thank you to our partners at the St. Louis County Library for curating an amazing list of additional reading resources. Click the button below to see the titles and reserve.
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Miriam Makeba's Timeline | Repertory Theatre of St. Louis

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Apartheid (meaning "apartness" in the language of Afrikaans) was a system of segregationist policies against non-white citizens in South Africa. Lasting for the better part of 50 years, this system of racial segregation and white supremacy was marked by a physical separation of non-white South Africans and white South Africans, even going as far as to strip black South Africans of their land and forcing them into poverty, as well as removing black South Africans from the nations's political body.

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The red, green, and black Pan-African flag is the symbol of a movement for Black freedom and unity throughout the world.

As noted on South African History Online, "Pan-Africanist ideas first began to circulate in the mid-19th century in the United States, led by Africans from the Western Hemisphere. The most important early Pan-Africanists were Martin Delany and Alexander Crummel, both African Americans, and Edward Blyden, a West Indian. Among the more-important Pan-Africanist thinkers of the first decades of the 20th century was Jamaican-born Black Nationalist Marcus Garvey, followed by W. E. B. Du Bois." There was also a call for Pan African unity during the Civil Rights Movement, with activists participating in the 6th Pan African Congress in 1974.

Learning about the Pan-African movement is a good opportunity to challenge many stereotypes about Africa, as described in " I Didn't Know There Were Cities in Africa! Challenging children's - and adults' - misperceptions about the African continent" by Brenda Randolph in Teaching Tolerance and "Beyond Wildlife: Teaching about Africa and Stereotypes."

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The red, green, and black Pan-African flag is the symbol of a movement for Black freedom and unity throughout the world. As noted on South African History Online, "Pan-Africanist ideas first began to circulate in the mid-19th century in the United States, led by Africans from the Western Hemisphere.

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The Scramble for Africa: A History of Independence

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In 1960, 17 African nations gained independence from resource-hungry Europe. Others followed soon after.

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60 years of Independence - a Wave of Independence Spread Across Africa

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Beyond the Year of Return: Africa and the diaspora must forge closer ties

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In 2019, Ghana successfully hosted The Year of Return, Ghana 2019, a year-long programme of activities to commemorate the 400th anniversary of the arrival of the first recorded enslaved Africans in the State of Virginia in the United States. A second edition called Beyond the Return was planned for 2020.

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ESSENCE Full Circle Festival (EFCF) is an exclusive, invitation-only experience to commemorate the Year of Return, honor our common heritage and to celebrate our African ancestry, culture and achievement in the beautiful, vibrant country of Ghana.

Our guests and their families/friends will experience a carefully-curated schedule exploring Ghanaian culture - its historical sites, cuisine, music, fashion, beaches, nightlife and more.

Whether you've ever traveled to the continent, this will be unlike any trip you have ever taken - a life-changing experience full of bridge-building; spiritual connections and reconnections; and family, friends and fellowship.

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ESSENCE Full Circle Festival (EFCF) is an exclusive, invitation-only experience to commemorate the Year of Return, honor our common heritage and to celebrate our African ancestry, culture and achievement in the beautiful, vibrant country of Ghana. Our guests and their families/friends will experience a carefully-curated schedule exploring Ghanaian culture - its historical sites, cuisine, music, fashion, beaches, nightlife and more.

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About the Afrochella Team, our Partners and how to contact us.

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Cape Coast Castle on the Gulf of Guinea in Cape Coast, Ghana. (AP Photo/Carolyn Kaster)

Centuries ago, when the first Africans were taken from their native shores to various points in the Western Hemisphere, the overwhelming majority were destined never to see their homes again. In 1619, a slave ship landed at the settlement in Jamestown, Va., which marked what is seen as the beginning of the slave trade in America.

As 2019 became the official, "Year of Return" and the West African nation of Ghana designated as the focal point, a rebirth of sorts has taken place. With the help of several African governments, descendants of those who were once enslaved are making pilgrimages back to their ancestral homeland.
READ MORE: Why Ghana is fast becoming a hub for African-Americans
Black creatives, entrepreneurs, influencers and celebrities are taking this transitional period from one decade into another to a higher level by encouraging other Blacks to take the journey to African shores in a continuation of this movement.

"It's so important for our collective identity, for self-worth [and] our confidence to know where we came from," actor Boris Kodjoe (whose father is Ghanaian) explained to Boston radio station WBUR.

Kodjoe and wife, actress Nicole Ari Parker are leading an initiative in partnership with ESSENCE Ventures called the Full Circle Festival taking place over the New Year week in Ghana's capital city of Accra. An expected 500 participants were slated to be there along with notables including former President and First Lady Barack and Michelle Obama, actor Michael Jai White, corporate exec Bozoma Saint John, comedian Steve Harvey, and many others.
READ MORE: The Obamas arrive in Ghana

One-on-one with Boris Kodjoe as Hollywood star participates in 'Full Circle Festival'.
Full video here: https://t.co/UYAMk5gcx8#JoyNews pic.twitter.com/S77PkqZ32R

- JoyNews (@JOYNEWSONTV) December 31, 2018

For Kodjoe, it's important to give his children an understanding about the history of how the journey began for Africans so long ago.

"We're not descendants of slaves, but yet descendants of enslaved Africans," he said. "We're descendants of the survivors. It's a hugely important distinction."

Since it gained independence in 1957, Ghana has been an entry point for diaspora Blacks, particularly Americans who are looking to rediscover the motherland. Cape Coast Castle and nearby Elmina Castle were both places where tens of thousands of the enslaved were placed on ships headed for South America, the Caribbean and later the Southeastern U.S., largely in the 16th, 17th and 18th centuries. Those who were held captive at Elmina passed through the "Door of No Return" on their way to slave ships awaiting them on the shore.

Now, what was once a symbol of despair has been transformed into the "Door of Return," which invites their descendants to pass through again, in a symbolic homecoming to the continent.

Tina Knowles dancing "Adwoa" in Ghana ????????___________________________________ #beyonce #tinaknowles #beyoncé #yearofreturn #fullcircle #fullcirclefestival #Ghana #Accra #ashanti #nkonkonsa #adwoa #beyhive #instablog9ja #YearOfReturn2019 pic.twitter.com/5WMFxqGvmF

- Blac Goss (@Blacgoss) December 28, 2019

Continuing its tradition of welcoming people back "home" was the annual Afrochella Festival, also in Accra, which is a cultural and music gathering highlighting native talent and creativity. Billed as "Ghana's answer to Coachella," 4,000 people were reported to have attended last year's event, according to Ghanaweb.com.

Afrochella 2019✨✊?

s/o to @deezydothis for the opportunity to shoot this??#shotbyadoosey #YearOfReturn pic.twitter.com/11dF5WmSWO

- levi (@jdadoosey) December 31, 2019

Afrochella 2019✨✊?

s/o to @deezydothis for the opportunity to shoot this??#shotbyadoosey #YearOfReturn pic.twitter.com/11dF5WmSWO

- levi (@jdadoosey) December 31, 2019

Ghana also granted citizenship to 126 African Americans and Afro-Caribbeans during the Year of Return, Yahoo reports. The country's Right of Abode Law, passed in 2001, grants the right of anyone from the Americas who is of African descent the right to remain in Ghana, similar to the way Israel allows Jewish individuals the right to repatriate.

Attracting diaspora Blacks back to Africa isn't just about an emotional connection. There is clearly also some motivation that will likely have a vast economic effect.

"We must help make Africa the place for investment, progress, and prosperity and not from where our youth flee in the hope of accessing the mirage of a better life in Europe or the Americas," said Ghanaian President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, according to the state-run newspaper the Daily Graphic.

"The time has come to engage Africans in the diaspora and all persons of African descent more positively in areas such as trade and investment co-operation, and skills and knowledge development."

Kodjoe, agreed, noting the Year of Return movement can encourage economic interest in Africa as well through the Africa Free Trade Agreement, which was established last July by 54 African states that were once European colonies.

"...The first step of creating economic development was the African Free Trade Agreement and that was just established," he said. "The next step is to bring members of the diaspora over, establishing a presence on the continent so that when those contracts become available, there's somebody at the table who can put in a bid."

China has spent years investing heavily in Ghana and other African nations. In 2016, the country offered the continent $60 billion in loans and aid to develop infrastructure, reduce poverty and improve agriculture, according to the Wharton School of Business. About $15 billion of that went to Ghana, its government said.

But Ghanaian officials want Blacks from the west to have opportunities to invest as well and see the Year of Return as a way to remind them that this invitation is open and ongoing. As much as $1.9 billion has been generated by the movement and more than 80,000 arrivals have come to the nation over the past year, reports Tourism Minister Barbara Oteng-Gyasi to Face2Face Africa.

For sure, there has been an economic boom that has come from the Year of Return. Tourism, hospitality and leisure on the continent are expected to rise to as much as $262 billion over the next 10 years, The Washington Post reports. Celebs like Kodjoe, Harvey and even Cardi B, who recently visited Nigeria, are helping that to be accomplished.
READ MORE: Cardi B has a blast in Africa: performs two shows, makes it rain naira and gives back in a major way

.@iamcardib performing live at the #LiveSpotXFestival in Ghana! ??? pic.twitter.com/m5p02MscBP

- Cardi B Fan Team (@CardiBTeam) December 9, 2019

Kodjoe said that means it's time for diaspora Blacks to take notice of a new dawn for the continent and bring various nations on the continent to global economic prominence.

"It's really about building a bridge between the diaspora and the continent," he told WBUR. "And we are all the resources we need. Africa doesn't need aid. Africa needs to galvanize the diaspora to invest in all these things that are necessary for Africa to take its rightful place on the planet."
Madison J. Gray is a contributing editor at theGrio, who has lived and worked in Ghana. You can find him on Twitter @mjgraymedia

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Ghana's Year of Return movement invites Blacks back to Africa, now the door is open

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Cape Coast Castle on the Gulf of Guinea in Cape Coast, Ghana. (AP Photo/Carolyn Kaster) Centuries ago, when the first Africans were taken from their native shores to various points in the Western Hemisphere, the overwhelming majority were destined never to see their homes again.

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The 2019/2020 edition of the annual Full Circle Festival saw some 500 people tour and experience Accra from December 2019 to January 2020.

The Full Circle Festival which was in partnership with Essence Ventures aims to ;

(i) support cultural ownership and economic collaboration among Africans on the continent and people of African descent in the Diaspora;

(ii) connect Black communities globally for the exchange of ideas and shared objectives that leads to cultural monetization and community reinvestment;

(iii) facilitate the learning and discovery of the many facets of Africa's beauty, excellence and opportunity globally.

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Year of Return: Participants of Essence Full Circle Festival 2019 tour Accra

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The 2019/2020 edition of the annual Full Circle Festival saw some 500 people tour and experience Accra from December 2019 to January 2020.

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Dr. Abimbola Cole Kai-Lewis | Welcome to the United States of Africa Essay

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Cole Welcome to the United States of Africa Essay

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How To Spark A Global Movement: Ghana’s ‘Year Of Return’ Welcomes 1M Visitors

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Ghana’s “Year of Return” is a shining example of how countries can increase tourism. Koshie Mills is proud to have played a part in sparking the movement and wants to help its success spread across the continent.