Successful launch for Professor Adi’s book text Pan-Africanism: A History

The first book this century to survey the global Pan-African movement has enjoyed a successful launch.

More than 300 guests attended the launch of the book, which was hosted by the Black Cultural Archives and which took place at Lambeth Town Hall. Its author, Professor Hakim Adi, Professor of the History of Africa and the African Diaspora at the University of Chichester and a pioneer in research and teaching about Pan-Africanism, spoke about the book and led a lively and challenging discussion around its themes.

Pan-Africanism: A History offers 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. The book covers key events and historical figures (such as Marcus Garvey and Malcolm X), as well as cultural expressions (including the Afro hairstyle and the music of Bob Marley).

Hakim commented: “My thanks go to everyone who attended the launch of my book and who gave it such a great start in life – the event was live streamed and messages of congratulation came from all over the world. In January 2018 we launched the world’s first online Masters research degree at the University of Chichester on the History of Africa and the African Diaspora. I wrote this book to address the lack of a modern text which could be used with this course.”

Professor Catherine Harper, Deputy Vice-Chancellor at the University of Chichester, (seen below), added: “It was my great pleasure to attend and speak briefly in support of our University of Chichester colleague, Professor Hakim Adi. The event was a triumph, with a very attentive audience whose questions and comments demonstrated to me the esteem with which Professor Adi is held, the calibre of audience attracted by the discourses of Pan Africanism, the contribution of African and Caribbean communities to thinking globally from within Britain, and the extent to which diaspora as a concept has become more relevant in a territorial world. Finally, the launch provided an opportunity for people to mix, share experiences, and form connections, and the atmosphere of friendship, collegiality and rigour was both socially and intellectually stimulating.”

Pan-Africanism: A History is widely available via mainstream and specialist retail book outlets.

Photos by Anthony Dawton: anthony@dawton.com