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Africa- General Resources

This collection contains general resources about the continent of Africa. The collection draws from many types of materials (periodicals, books, pamphlets) and many different countries (Kenya, Guinea, Tanzania). Themes of the collection range from the role of women in African liberation struggles, a series of periodicals detailing various liberation struggles called Revolution in Africa, a book filled with continental maps throughout history and a journal focusing on issues of Pan-Africanism.  

Documents

African American historians discuss the African tradition and history in the United States. African American historians discuss the African tradition and history in the United States.
Call Number: AFR 040Format: Cass A & BProducers: WBAIProgram: WBAI African Liberation Day Special ProgramCollection: Africa- General Resources
A WBAI radio program recorded in 1997. African Historian John Henrik Clarke, Historian and Temple University African American Studies Professor Dr. Molefi Kete Asante, and Syracuse University African American Studies Professor Horace Campbell discuss the African tradition and history in the United States. They speak about the forced migration of Africans to America, the history and injustices of slavery and the development of African consciousness.
African American historians discuss African liberation in Africa. African American historians discuss African liberation in Africa.
Call Number: AFR 041Format: Cass A & BProducers: WBAIProgram: WBAI African Liberation Day Special ProgramCollection: Africa- General Resources
Continuation of AFR 040 The continued discussion of the African tradition and history. Historian John Henrik Clarke and Professors Dr. Molefi Kete Asante and Dr. Horace Campbell talk about the meaning of African liberation in Africa. They speak about the lack of respect for women and street children in their efforts and contributions toward African liberation. They also talk about Afrocentricity, a theory that African people must be viewed as agents in the world, not just spectators of Europe.
Adelaide Sanford on African values Adelaide Sanford on African values
Date: 3/3/1990Call Number: AFR 049Format: Cass A & BProgram: To Be African in Today’s America - Toward Liberation!Collection: Africa- General Resources
Adelaide Sanford speaks about how Africans in America have rid themselves of the chains of oppression. She talks about how ancestral strengths and power do not fit into American society, and thus causes harm to the black psyche. Sanford says Blacks built the American economy and society (for example, music, religion, and ideas) that Europeans took credit for and denegrated the blacks while enjoying all that the black contributed. She also speaks about education in American prisons as a myth of justice. In feeling anger towards racial discrimination from whites, it is ok to feel anger, it just depends on what you do with that anger. Whites want to see a reaction, but do not give them the satisfaction or predictability. Lastly, she calls people to not buy into white American values because the black person’s strength only comes from African value systems.
Adelaide Sanford on African values Adelaide Sanford on African values
Date: 3/3/1990Call Number: AFR 050AFormat: Cass AProgram: To Be African in Today’s America - Toward Liberation!Collection: Africa- General Resources
Continuation of AFR 049 Adelaide Sanford speaks about improving education in America. She talks about changing education in America and fighting for educational freedoms. She calls the people to be aware of the power of the African story and to get it out to all people through the media. She speaks about the destruction of black civilization in America. Because of the association of the black man and drugs, particularly crack, a derivative of cocaine, as an agent of melanin in black skin pigment, people need to be educated about cocaine’s dangers.
Discussion on the effects of global white supremacy on Africans Discussion on the effects of global white supremacy on Africans
Date: 10/23/1991Call Number: AFR 053Format: Cass A & BProducers: UAM: United African MovementProgram: Global White Supremacy, Part 1Collection: Africa- General Resources
Recorded off mic. Discussion on the effects of global white supremacy on Africans historically, legally, and psychologically. The audio begins with Imhotep Gary Byrd leading the audience in a song. John Henrik Clarke speaks how black people are the chosen people of God, and how historically, the Jews have benefited from the slave trade. He also talks about Louis Farrakhan, minister of the nation of Islam, and his contributions to the black man. He also gives a historical perspective on global white supremacy, saying that blacks do not understand white supremacy because they don’t understand white people. He asserts that whites feel superior because they aren’t rich in culture and family life like blacks are, and they want that without paying for it. Clarke calls people to read more and to become educated. He speaks about Egypt not being white because it is deep within Africa, so they cannot claim superiority over other Africans. He also speaks about the bastardization of Africans, physically through skin color, and mentally through the desire to be white. He claims there is no reason for white colonization except the whites desire for resources and to take over another people. He says that the only way to overcome global white supremacy would be for all Africans to unite. Audio tape includes a rap song about race relations between minorities (blacks) and whites. No Justice, No Peace.
The history of the slave trade The history of the slave trade
Call Number: AFR 056Format: Cass A & BProducers: WBAI RadioProgram: WBAI Special Premium: “Spirits of the Passage”Collection: Africa- General Resources
Historian John Henrik Clarke reads Madeline Burnside’s book “Spirits of the Passage”. The recording begins with a background history of slavery in the world, and of the slave trade. Clarke, author of the book “Critical Lessons of Slavery and the Slave Trade”, speaks on the slave trade in its historical context. Professor of African American history at Howard University, Olive Taylor, explains how the slave trade has had an impact on dancing, and she also discusses international law and the slave trade. Ali Mazrui, creator of the PBS TV series “The Africans”, discusses modern day slavery in Sudan. Side B is a continuation of Side A, with Mazrui speaking about South Africa, Brazil, and the Arab world’s involvement in the slave trade and racial categories.
Panel Discussion with Committee to Eliminate Media Offensive to African People on the Global Media Conspiracy Panel Discussion with Committee to Eliminate Media Offensive to African People on the Global Media Conspiracy
Date: 4/23/1994Call Number: AFR 058Format: Cass A & BProducers: CEMOTAP (Committee to Eliminate Media Offensive to African People)Program: The Global Media Conspiracy and Community Rally for Earl CaldwellCollection: Africa- General Resources
Audio begins abruptly on Side A Historian John Henrik Clarke speaks about how Europe’s perception of the world influences the interpretation of the world. Its nationalism has guided its history and its colonizing of mass media. Clarke states that European media has created the image of God that does not look like a black person, but in Africa, God is seen neither as black or white, but as a loving father. Clarke also speaks about racism: racists are of all skin colors, and to overcome racism is to be with others of different ethnicities. Quote: “You get out only what you put in.” He says that while Europe will always control the world, and in spite of the mass media and multiculturalism, people can coexist and you do not have to plan this coexistence. He calls people to look at themselves universally. After Dr. Clarke speaks, the MC introduces Dr. James MacIntosh, cofounder of CEMOTAP (Committee to Elimiate Media Offensive to African People). . Side B is a continuation of side A. Dr. James MacIntosh speaks about the Rockaway 5 (five men who have been influential in the fight against racial discrimination against Africans in the media), and the corrupt and violent police and justice system. He speaks about confronting ABC media with tapes and statements offensive to blacks in their media, hoping to elicit a response positive to collaboration with CEMOTAP. He calls for CEMOTAP being national and more church involvement in their cause.
Panel Discussion with CEMOTAP on the Global Media Conspiracy Panel Discussion with CEMOTAP on the Global Media Conspiracy
Date: 4/23/1994Call Number: AFR 059Format: Cass A & BProducers: CEMOTAP (Committee to Eliminate Media Offensive to African People)Program: The Global Media Conspiracy and Community Rally for Earl CaldwellCollection: Africa- General Resources
Continuation of AFR 058. Dr. Leonard Jeffries, professor and scholar, speaks on the changing views of “majority” on race in the media - how people like Nathan Glazer have taken on majority views, but others like Arthur Slessinger have not. Blacks, however, have organized and fought for their freedoms. Jeffries talks about how being educated and skilled still cannot get you credit or recognition in the media because you’re not white and you’re attacking slavery. He praises Earl Caldwell for his contributions. Side B is a continuation of Side A. Earl Caldwell, journalist, speaks about discrimination he has faced when working at the Daily News and New York Times newspapers, the limits of free speech, and the expressing of his own opinion in the workplace and his writing. He speaks about how the newspaper took a year to hire him, and his articles in the back and shortened them. He wanted a relationship with the black community as a black reporter/journalist.
Panel Discussion with CEMOTAP on the Global Media Conspiracy Panel Discussion with CEMOTAP on the Global Media Conspiracy
Date: 4/23/1994Call Number: AFR 060Format: Cass A & BProducers: CEMOTAP (Committee to Eliminate Media Offensive to African People)Program: The Global Media Conspiracy and Community Rally for Earl CaldwellCollection: Africa- General Resources
Continuation of AFR 059. Earl Caldwell, journalist, speaks about his experiences with racial discrimination as a journalist. He talks about how in the beginning of the computer age, blacks knew much more about computers than whites did, but whites got all the jobs because they were trained to learn computers, and whites were paid more than blacks as well. Side B is a continuation of Side A. A CEMOTAP speaker speaks about the PAC (Pan - African Congress) in Uganda. He states that it was wrong for Europeans to colonize Africa, but that it was directly linked to the black people’s lack of leaders and organization. He speaks about the rise of Facism and Gulianism (future mayor of New York), and of the conservative black person. Eric Ture Muhammed, Executive Director of the Black African Holocaust Council, makes a plug for his journal, the Holocaust Journal, and speaks on media censorship.
Colonialism’s influence on African religion Colonialism’s influence on African religion
Call Number: AFR 065Format: Cass A & BCollection: Africa- General Resources
Recorded off mic. Begins abruptly with a speech by a man about old African religions and folk tales. He speaks about traditional African religions, animism, Judaism, Christianity, and Islam. “Where the African went wrong in the history of the world was when he adopted foreign gods or foreign interpretation of his gods”. One of the ways Africa was oppressed and colonized was through religious colonization. He talks about how elements of Judaism, Christianity, and Islam can be found in Africa’s own religions, but says that African religions should not be interpreted by outsiders. He describes the history of foreign influence on African religion and slave trade. Next, a woman speaks about Baptists, her own faith, and she speaks about literature originating out of Egypt. Lastly, continuing to Side B, another man speaks about Mozambique.