Carol Polsgrove Livres

Set against the backdrop of impending World War II, a determined collective of Africans and West Indians in London initiated an anti-colonial movement aimed at ending British rule in Africa. Through the power of publishing, they produced books, pamphlets, and periodicals to articulate their vision of liberation. Key figures like George Padmore, C. L. R. James, Jomo Kenyatta, and I. T. A. Wallace Johnson challenged the hypocrisy of colonialism, asserting that it contradicted the democratic values Britain professed.

The memoir explores the author's experiences as a missionary child in West Africa, highlighting the clash and blend of American upbringing with the rich Yoruba culture. Through personal anecdotes, it challenges common stereotypes about missionary life, offering a nuanced perspective on identity and cultural intersection. The narrative reflects on the sounds of Yoruba voices and talking drums that shaped her childhood, providing an intimate look at growing up amidst diverse influences.

On the eve of World War II, a small, impoverished group of Africans and West Indians in London dared to imagine the unimaginable: the end of British rule in Africa. In books, pamphlets, and periodicals, they launched an anti-colonial campaign that used publishing as a pathway to liberation. These writers included West Indians George Padmore, C. L. R. James, and Ras Makonnen, Kenya's Jomo Kenyatta and Sierra Leone's I. T. A. Wallace Johnson.Polsgrove draws on previously unexplored manuscript and archival collections to trace the development of this publishing community from its origins in George Padmore's American and Comintern years through the independence of Ghana in the 1957. This original study will be of interest to scholars and general readers interested in social movements, diaspora studies, empire and African history, publishing history, literary history, and cultural studies.