Pan-Africanism, Afrofuturism and Decolonisation: A reading list
On the 4th of October 2018, I gave a Black History Month talk, in which I argued that the ‘celebration’ of Black History Month should be more than an act of remembrance of voices at the margins but must have bringing about radical transformations as an ultimate aim. Especially in the context of such celebration by a university and within a university. And especially in the International Decade of People of African Descent.
Loving A United Kingdom
In 2016, two movies were released on quite a similar subject matter. ‘Loving’ starring Joel Edgerton and Ruth Negga; A United Kingdom, starring David Oyelowo and Rosamund Pike. A special mention to director of A United Kingdom, Amma Asante.
Steven Biko: Dying for an Idea That Will Live
Stephen (Steve) Bantu Biko was born in Kingwilliamstown, Cape Province, on 18 December 1946, the third child of his parents. His father died when Steve was four. Biko completed his high school education in Natal at the Roman Catholic Mariannhill. In 1965, he began medical school in the Non-European section of the University of Natal. And it was here that he formed the South African Students’ Organisation (SASO) in 1968.
FACE 2019 and You
In light of the unparalleled success of our launch event, we the organisers of FACE, (Forever Africa Conference and Events), are now turning our hands to planning FACE 2019. [Some of the points here are included in the previous FACE post, but it occurs to me that only the strong will read that post all the way to the bottom!]
Why We are Teaching Law & Race at the University of Bristol
‘Education does not change the world. Education changes people. People change the world.’ — Paulo Freire, Brazilian Philosopher and Educator
In the 2018/2019 academic year, Yvette Russell and I will be (for the first time) teaching a unit called Law and Race. It is a very exciting prospect, not least because there are very few law schools in the UK who teach Race in any direct or focused way, and much fewer have a unit dedicated to Race.
Pan-Africanism, Afrofuturism and Decolonisation
Patrice Lumumba: May Africa breathe the air of freedom
TRIGGER WARNING: This article contains information, description and pictures about extreme physical violence.
Patrice Émery Lumumba was born on the 2nd of July 1925 in the Kasai province of what is now known as the Democratic Republic of Congo. He was once a postal clerk and also a travelling beer salesman. Tall, slim, and handsome, Lumumba had a dazzling smile, and piercing eyes that glittered through a signature pair of spectacles. He had 3 wives and many relationships. But it was when he got into politics that Lumumba became truly dangerous to the old colonial order.
Palm Trees in the Snow:
I am constantly looking for films set in colonial Africa. For some reason they are very rare. I wonder why? There is an old movie starring Pierce Brosnan (one time 007). Mister Johnson. And not many more. However, I found one recently on Netflix. ‘Palm Trees in the Snow‘ It is a lovely Spanish language historical romantic drama set on Bioko Island in Equatorial Guinea [not Guinea Conakry, and not Guinea Bissau, and definitely not Papua New Guinea].
Thomas Sankara: Daring to Invent a Future Africa
Born Thomas Isidore Noël Sankara on 21 December 1949, in what was then called Upper Volta, Sankara was the 3rd of 10 children. He is remembered as a Pan-Africanist, a revolutionary, a president, a musician and an upright man. His parents wanted him to be a priest, he wanted to be a doctor, but when corruption prevented him from getting into medical school, he became a soldier. He was a very talented musician, who believed the power of music as a force for building community.