Many Europeans hoped to assimilate African students by bringing them to Europe and educating them in some of their finest schools. Unfortunately, these Europeans mainly acted in their own interests rather than the interest of the students. The British, for example, recruited promising students from wealthy and influential African families with the idea that they would eventually return to Africa as political leaders and would be “sympathetic to the interests of the British ruling class” (Adi 72).
Still others wanted Africans to fully assimilate to European culture, losing their own identity and heritage in the process. The racism and the racial restrictions present in Europe would likely influence an African there to be ashamed or try to shed his “African-ness” but many African intellectuals did quite the opposite. While some may have completely embraced or rejected Western civilization, I think the majority of African intellectuals were somewhere in the middle, incorporating only parts of Western civilization into their own lives.
Instead of returning home to be influential in politics there, many Africans remained and got involved in European politics. Some “were often able to play a pivotal role in the development of the politics of resistance to slavery, colonialism, and European imperialism” (Adi 70). Additionally, “the African presence itself” was influential to the social and political conditions in Europe (Adi 71).
Rather than lose their African identity in order to fully immerse themselves in a European identity, many sought “to rehabilitate the black race” (Wilder 156). Intellectuals such as Damas, Senghor, and Cesaire used their European schooling to their advantage. In Paris, what eventually came to be known as the movement of “Negritude” started out as “‘interminable discussions’ among students who shared ideas” (Wilder 156). However, with their recommitment to their African culture some completely shunned any ties to European culture. For example, one woman was ridiculed for identifying with her white heritage and marrying a white man (Wilder 154).
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I thought your essay was well-written. I agree that white Europeans educated blacks to thier own advantage, and not for any gain of the African race. You are also correct in your views of black intellectuals such as Dams, Senghor, and Cesaire. They did use the tools white people provided them to better themselves and thier African identities. They went on to use thier teachings to educate not only thier own people, but interested whites as well.
ReplyDeleteI agreed with the overall argument of your paper. It resembled mine in many ways, however, I placed more of an emphasis on Damas, Senghor, and Cesaire. These people represented the educated African population in Europe. Like many other Africans these three’s education was intended to assimilate them into the popular culture. I also discussed the political activism that was influenced by Western ideas. These helped the Africans formulate arguments against colonialism and racism in the colonies. I think that it was good that you mentioned these points. These people influenced Africans in Europe as much as Europe influenced them.
ReplyDeleteI did not mention the fact that some Africans shunned ideas of Western culture. However, this is important to mention because it shows how the West changed the black identity. The freedom that they received in Europe as opposed to the colonies allowed them to create a positive black image. In retrospect I should have used this point in my paper.