Beyond Pan-Africanism: Garveyism, Malcolm X and the end of the colonial nation state

Pan-Africanism is an identifiable movement with its own history and historical and ideological roots. It formally began at the first Pan-African Congress in London in 1900 and has a distinct linage up to the present day African Union. Unfortunately, the movement has not presented a challenge to imperial domination in Africa, rather it has helped continue the exploitation of the continent. Accepting the colonial nation state has prevented any politics of liberation from developing in the movement. It is central to decentre Pan-Africanism from radical histories of resistance because the movement developed in parallel to and rejection of more revolutionary, anti-imperial politics. Garveyism developed a mass movement rooted on the global Black nation, shattering the boundaries of Westphalian sovereignty. Malcolm X picked up the work of Garvey, developing on some of its regressive weakness to form the Organization of Afro-American Unity. By unpicking this tradition from Pan-Africanism we can begin to chart a route to revolutionary concepts and practice of nationalism that can present a challenge to the imperial social order

Towards a Black radical independent education: Black radicalism, independence and the supplementary school movement

Black Radicalism believes in the centrality of racism to Western imperialism and a Diasporic commitment to the liberation of Africa; existing in distinction to Black Nationalism, Marxism and Critical Race Theory. A Black radical critique of schooling is presented and the mischaracterisations of Black radicalism as segregationist and separatist are examined. Black independent education is a necessary feature of Black radicalism and the Black supplementary schools movement in Britain exists as a potential space where such an education can be developed

The Psychosis of Whiteness: The celluloid hallucinations of Amazing Grace and Belle

Critical Whiteness studies has emerged as an academic discipline that has produced a lot of work and garnered attention in the last two decades. Central to this project is the idea that if the processes of Whiteness can be uncovered, then they can be reasoned with and overcome, through rationale dialogue. This article will argue, however, that Whiteness is a process rooted in the social structure, one that induces a form of psychosis framed by its irrationality, which is beyond any rational engagement. Drawing on a critical discourse analysis of the two only British big budget movies about transatlantic slavery, Amazing Grace and Belle, the article argues that such films serve as the celluloid hallucinations that reinforce the psychosis of Whiteness. The features of this discourse that arose from the analysis included the lack of Black agency, distancing Britain from the horrors of slavery, and downplaying the role of racism

Back to Black: Retelling the politics of Black radicalism for the 21st Century

Back to Black traces the long and eminent history of Black radical politics. Born out of resistance to slavery and colonialism, its rich past encompasses figures such as Marcus Garvey, Angela Davis, the Black Panthers and the Black Lives Matter activists of today. At its core it argues that racism is inexorably embedded in the fabric of society, and that it can never be overcome unless by enacting change outside of this suffocating system. Yet this Black radical tradition has been diluted and moderated over time; wilfully misrepresented and caricatured by others; divested of its legacy, potency, inclusivity and force for global change. Kehinde Andrews explores the true roots of this tradition, and connects the dots to today’s struggles by showing what a renewed politics of Black radicalism might look like in the 21st century

The Post-Racial Princess: Delusions of racial progress and intersectional failures

Meghan Markle’s marriage to Prince Harry sparked a global debate about the extent to which the union marked progress in British race relations with the royal family embracing “modern Britain”. Rather than representing progress the furore around the marriage is the perfect example of the delusions of post-racialism, which entrench racial inequality. The royal family is one of the premier symbols of Whiteness, the very idea that the inclusion of Markle changes this demonstrates a lack of understanding of racism. Seeing the marriage as progress is an intersectional failure that ignores the limits of representational change as well as the specific limits of Markle as a representative of Black women, particularly in Britain. Issues of patriarchy, nationality, class and colourism prevent Markle representing the average Black woman in Britain. Embracing a Black feminist standpoint negates the idea of representational change because no individual can ever stand in for the collective

BBC Newsnight interview: Retelling black radicalism

Dr Kehinde Andrews has appeared on BBC Newsnight (from 32 mins) to discuss his forthcoming book Back to Black: Retelling Black Radicalism. In a conversation with presenter Emily Maitlis, Dr Andrews explains the radical significance of the Haitian revolution, pan-Africanism and the politics of civil rights leader Malcolm X

The iconic ghetto on British television: Black representation and Top Boy

The chapter explores the importance of the concept of the iconic ghetto, examining its discursive importance in reproducing racism. It has particular resonance given that the majority of black people live in concentrated areas of urban centres and therefore how they are represented to the broader society through the media has major consequences. The essay develops a critical discourse analysis of Top Boy to understand how the iconic ghetto is reproduced throughout the show. From this analysis, the basis of the iconic ghetto that was portrayed throughout the show becomes apparent and is captured in the number of themes explored including the proliferation of poverty, crime and violence agency, a lack of female and agency and ultimately blaming the black communities for the problems the show exaggerates

The problem of political blackness: lessons from the Black Supplementary School Movement

The Black Supplementary School Movement has a fifty-year tradition of resisting racism in Britain. Central to the movement is a construction of African Diasporic Blackness that is marginalized in British scholarship. 'Political blackness', based on the unity ethnic minority groups, is an important frame of reference in Britain. This article will examine the limitations of 'political blackness' in relation to research carried out in the Black Supplementary School Movement that involved interviews with key activists and an archival analysis of documents at the George Padmore Institute. Political blackness is based on an inaccurate understanding of the relationship between multiculturalism and anti-racism; a misreading of the complex and global nature of racism and a non-strategic essentialism. The concept also creates a form non-whiteism, which disempowers ethnic minority communities and works to delegitimize African Diasporic Blackness, which has a tradition of resisting racist oppression. © 2016 Taylor & Franci

Blackness, Empire and migration: How Black Studies transforms the curriculum

University curricula are overwhelmingly Eurocentric, providing a narrow framework of knowledge through which to view the world. Issues of race and racism when taught tend to be marginalised as something additional, extra, a disposable luxury. The key to transforming teaching is to embed race ethnicity in the core ideas, transforming some of the key concepts at the foundation of knowledge. The example that this paper will use is that of Blackness, the diasporic connection between those with roots on the African continent. Blackness remakes the way we understand the nation, troubling one of the most taken‐for‐granted notions in the academy. Through the lens of Blackness, the nation‐state becomes a social construction, largely used to mask Empire and as a tool to maintain an unjust social order. So Blackness is not an addendum, we cannot fully understand the concept of the nation‐state without engaging with the critique it presents. The challenge for the academy is not just to include concepts such as Blackness on the edges, but to accept that without engaging with them the core ideas of knowledge are incomplete