image: This is Professor Hakim Adi, Professor of the History of Africa and the African Diaspora at the University of Chichester. view more
Credit: University of Chichester
From key political figures such as Marcus Garvey and Malcolm X, to cultural expression including the Afro hairstyle and the music of Bob Marley, "Pan-Africanism: A History" is the first book written this century to survey the Pan-African movement from its earliest manifestations to the founding of the African Union.
Written by Professor Hakim Adi, Professor of the History of Africa and the African Diaspora at the University of Chichester, "Pan-Africanism: A History" is published today, Thursday 23rd August, by Bloomsbury to coincide with the International Day for the Remembrance of the Slave Trade and its Abolition.
The book provides a history of the organisations and individuals who have facilitated and sought the unity of all those who claim African origin, utilising that unity as the basis for liberation and advancement. Covering key historical figures and events, as well as cultural expressions, "Pan-Africanism: A History" provides a new interpretation of the history.
Professor Adi said: "The book was written to address the absence of a modern text which I could use with my own students. I hope that it will provide a concise introduction and up to date summary for all who are interested in this important and ever topical subject."
Professor Adi has pioneered teaching and research in the area Pan-Africanism, Africa and the African Diaspora, and in January 2018 launched the world's first online Masters research degree on the History of Africa and the African Diaspora.
Pan-Africanism is an idea and movement which rose and first took root among the African Diaspora. In recent years it has become embodied in the African Union, which is the organisation of 55 African states founded in 2001 and which includes the entire African Diaspora worldwide as its 'sixth region'. The African Union's fundamental principle is a movement towards a peaceful, prosperous and integrated Africa.
"Pan-Africanism: A History" has received favourable reviews. Kathleen Cleaver, Senior Lecturer at Emory University School of Law and former Communication Secretary of the Black Panther Party, commented in her review: "If you want to understand the context of the Black Panther movement of the 1960s and early 1970s, this book is a must read. The chapters made me feel as if I was reading about my life and experience."
Keisha N. Blain, Assistant Professor of History at the University of Pittsburgh and author of "Set the World on Fire: Black Nationalist Women and the Global Struggle for Freedom", added: "This comprehensive, informative and highly readable book is a welcome addition to the field of Black Studies."
Toyin Falola, President of the Consortium of Pan-African University Press and University Distinguished Teaching Professor and Jacob and Frances Sanger Mossiker Chair in the Humanities at the University of Texas, added: "A lively book, it is enriched by examples of leadership and strong political thought, fortified by both the theoretical and practical necessity for Black solidarity and African continentalism. A product of years of research, this book is packed with information and analyses."
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For more about Pan-Africanism: A History go to http://www.bloomsbury.com/uk/pan-africanism-9781474254274. Alternatively for more about Professor Hakim Adi visit http://www.chi.ac.uk/staff/professor-hakim-adi.