Political Thought of African Independence

Gregory R. Smulewicz-Zucker is the Managing Editor of Logos: A Journal of Modern Society and Culture. He is the co-editor, with Michael J. Thompson, of Radical Intellectuals and the Subversion of Progressive Politics (Palgrave), and the author of the forthcoming Confronting Reification: The Revitalization of a Concept in Late Capitalism (Brill/Haymarket).

"A great accomplishment. Not only does Smulewicz-Zucker's anthology bring together a diverse array of sources (54 in total), it also weaves together what are more or less canonical sources in twentieth-century African political thought with many unexpected, yet equally rich and illuminating, items. Smulewicz-Zucker has chosen material from all of the continent’s major regions, including . . . documents from more than two-dozen different countries, international and regional organizations, and conferences. Moreover, he has organized the material in a way that creates an engaging and powerful narrative articulating the complicated history of African independence. This outstanding collection will surely find its way into undergraduate courses in fields as diverse as African history, international relations, comparative politics, and even political theory."—Jeffrey Ahlman, Smith College, author of Living with Nkrumahism: Nation, State, and Pan-Africanism in Ghana (Ohio University Press, 2017)

• Contents:IntroductionPart One: Early Visions of IndependenceIntroduction1. Samuel Crowther – Letter to the Secretaries of the Church Missionary Society, 18412. James Africanus Horton – Advice to the Rising Generation in West Africa, 18683. The Fante Confederation Constitution, 18714. Edward Blyden – The Origin and Purpose of Colonization, 18815. W.E.B. Du Bois – To the Nations of the World, 19006. Mojola Agbebi – The West African Problem, 19117. J.E. Casely Hayford – Race Emancipation – Particular Considerations: African Nationality, 19118. Marcus Garvey – If You Believe the Negro Has a Soul, 1921  Part Two: Paths to IndependenceIntroduction9. The Fifth Pan-African Congress – Resolutions, 194510. Jomo Kenyatta – Speech at the Kenya African Union, 195211. George Padmore – Communism and Black Nationalism, 195612. Félix Houphouet-Boigny – French Africa and the French Union, 195713. Charles de Gaulle – The Franco-African Community, 195814. The All-African People’s Conference – Resolution on Imperialism and Colonialism, 195815. Bibi Titi Mohammed – “Travel for TANU”: Interview, 195816. Sekou Touré - The Political Leader Considered as the Representative of a Culture, 195917. Gamal Abdel Nasser – The Philosophy of the Revolution, 195918. Harold Macmillan – Wind of Change, 196019. Henrik Verwoerd – Response to Macmillan20. Patrice Lumumba – Two Speeches, 196021. The United Nations – Declaration on Granting Independence to Colonial Countries and Peoples, 196022. K.A. Busia – The Challenge of Nationalism, 1962  Part Three: Independence StrugglesIntroduction23. Karari Njama – Reflections on the Mau Mau Oath, 195224. Albert Luthuli – The Road to Freedom is Via the Cross, 195225. The Algerian National Liberation Front – Proclamation of the FLN, 195426. The Federation of South African Women – The Women’s Charter, 195427. The South African Congress of the People – The Freedom Charter, 195528. The People’s Movement for the Liberation of Angola, 195629. Ndabaningi Sithole – White Supremacy and African Nationalism, 195930. Nelson Mandela – I am Prepared to Die, 196431. Ian Smith – Announcement of Unilateral Declaration of Independence, 196532. Harold Wilson – Position of the British Government on the Unilateral Declaration of Independence by Rhodesia, 196533. Amilcar Cabral – The Weapon of Theory, 196634. Andimba Toivo ya Toivo - Freedom for Namibia, 196835. Emeka Ojukwu – The Ahiara Declaration, 196936. Eduardo Mondlane – The Struggle for Independence in Mozambique, 1969  Part Four: Legitimating IndependenceIntroduction37. Kwame Nkrumah – I Speak of Freedom, 196138. Tom Mboya – Tensions in African Development, 196139. Kabaka Mutesa II – Decision to Co-operate with Uganda, 196140. Sir Ahmadu Bello – Regional Government, 196241. Julius Nyerere – Ujamaa: The Basis of African Socialism, 196242. Organization of African Unity – Founding Charter, 196343. Haile Selassie I – A Call to African Leaders, 196344. Sir Abubakar Tafawa Balewa – Addis Ababa, 196345. Nnamdi Azikiwe – Tribalism: A Pragmatic Instrument for National Unity, 196446. Jomo Kenyatta – A One Party System, 196447. Léopold Sédar Senghor – African Socialist Humanism, 196448. Kwame Nkrumah – Consciencism, 196449. Kanyama Chiume and Ex-Malawian Ministers – Appeal to the U.N. and O.A.U.50. J.B. Danquah – Letter from Prison to Kwame Nkrumah, 196451. Vera Chirwa – Origins of the Cabinet Crisis, 196452. Obafemi Awolowo – Thoughts on Nigerian Constitution, 196653. Kenneth Kaunda – African Development and Foreign Aid, 196654. The Tanganyika African National Union – The Arusha Declaration: On the Policy of Self-Reliance in Tanzania, 1967