Ideologies of Liberation in Black Africa, 1856-1970

Book excerpt: AYO LANGLEY, now a permanent Civil Servant in The Gambia, started collecting material for this book while lecturing in political science in the University of Edinburgh. The documents, reports, and extracts that he has selected (from French as well as English sources) illustrates the theme of Black Liberation and self determination that has for well over an hundred years characterized the writings of the great Black thinkers and liberators. In this selection the reader can follow the developments and expansion of the theme from the works of the early fathers, Crummell, Blyden, and Sarbah, through that of Sekyi, Thuku and Chilembwe down to the work of the modern philosopher-kings Nkrumah, Senghor and Nyerere. This book provides a brilliant aid to the better understanding of the development and intellectual problems that beset the modern states of Africa.