“The European hypothesis of white supremacy was made to function as though it were the truth. Therefore the education of several generations of Europeans, Asians, people of the Western Hemisphere, and Africans was permeated with this notion. Thus not only non-Africans but many Africans were trained to accept African inferiority as a fact of life. African education is still under the control of European ideology—even African and black educational institutions!” “This brings us to 1954 (according to European time). In that year, three important works were published: African Glory by J.C. deGraft-Johnson; Stolen Legacy by George G.M. James; and Nations negres et culture by Chiekh Anta Diop. Each of these post-World War II works followed a course essential to the foundationalist project. Professor deGraft-Johnson in his revision of the national memory of the Akan people prefaced his work with a comprehensive survey of general African history from antiquity to modernity. Building on traditions pioneered by Edward Blyden and Casley Hayford, he outlined some of the significant moments that any modern history of Africa or any history from an African perspective must take.” “Professor George G.M. James focused on the priority of Africa in the domain of deep thought. He claimed that Africans, that is, the Kemites were the authors of philosophy, which was stolen by the Europeans in the sense that they failed to admit the sources of their great ideas—an omission which is identified today as plagiarism. James challenged Africans to stop citing Socrates and so on as models of wisdom and instead cite the ancient Nile Valley intellectuals. While some of James’ claims are questionable, his general thrust has been incorporated into the strategy of the foundationalists.” “Dr. Chiekh Anta Diop’s Nations negres et culture was the beginning of several major works which called for ‘the elevation of a Black Egypt to the level of an operational scientific concept and ‘making this idea a conscious historical fact for Africans and the world.’ For Diop the possibility of African history in particular and African Human Sciences in general depended on that foundation. The ‘Two Cradle Theory’ of his earlier works is a formulation that must be examined in the development of Africa’s historiography. The sociology of history which he pursued in Precolonial Afrique Noir and his examination of the ‘African Mode of Production’ in his last major work are methodological paths that are significant points of departure for our project.” “Since 1954, one of the most challenging contributions of African historiography is Chancellor Williams’s Destruction of Black Civilization. Dr. William’s thesis focuses on white supremacy as a destructive force and its tragic consequences for African peoples throughout history. For him white supremacy is the cause not only on the external onslaught of Africa by Asians, especially Arabs, and by various groups of Europeans, but also the cause of devastating internal conflict which pits Africans mixed with foreign blood and/or brainwashed with foreign ideas against Africans who defend the race and it traditions. Certainly Professor William’s ideas deserve serious consideration.” “Many other works should be examined in our initial literature survey. Generation of such a list is beyond the scope of this note. African psychologists and psychiatrists have set forth several bold ideas. The contributors to the ongoing African-centered education movement are at the center of the project and are beginning to articulate their thoughts.” “On the basis of the long history of African historiography we should indeed evoke the Weheme Mesu. The Repetition of the Birth is certainly an appropriate response to Dr. Clarke’s query with which we began. We need to launch a search for an African speech as did Pharaoh Amen M Hat because the African tongue has been silent for a long time. The recovery of our ancient speech will open the Deep Well of African Treasures that will revive us as we find our way through the desert of European historiography. Let us strive to become the new African that Diop summoned—that new African who ‘will have felt another man born within him, moved by an historical conscience, a true creator, a Promethean bearer of a new civilization.” Article by Jacob H. Carruthers title “An African Historiography for the 21st Century” Book “African World History Project: The Preliminary Challenge” The Djehuty Project: African-Centered Think Tank and Research Institution 1996 Edited by Jacob H. Carruthers and Leon C. Harris Page 67
Posted on: Wed, 31 Dec 2014 22:13:03 +0000
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