Nuwaubian Pan-Africanism: Back to Our Root

(Hardback)

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This book examines the contemporary operational and theoretical parameters of Pan-Africanism and black nationalism in the post-civil rights era. It uses the Nuwaubian movement as a case study to explore this essential strand in African Diasporan history, culture, and tradition. The author argues that the Nuwaubian Nation, like their contemporaries such as the Nation of Islam, represents contemporary efforts of African descendants to dialectically and culturally fight oppression. He argues that unlike the classical Back to Africa movements, the contemporary ones do not seek to primarily relocate to Africa, but to go to Africa culturally and bring back Africa to the diaspora. This effort can be seen in the Nuwaubian attempts at unearthing and importing classical African traditions, mores, and values in their in their various communities across the United States, especially in Eatonton, Georgia. Their aim was to chart an identity for their adherents and inspire racial pride for African people.

Reviews

In Nuwaubian Pan-Africanism: Back to Our Root, Emeka Anaedozie grapples with the thought process of a controversial and troubling figure, Malachi York (aka Dwight York), founder and leader of the Nuwaubian Nation. While the Nuwaubian Nation has been described as a cult and Yorkwho is currently serving a life prison termas a con man, Anaedozie takes an anthropological approach, producing a deep and thoughtful analysis of Yorks extensive writings. This book provides new insight into grassroots black nationalism that, whatever the truth about its subjects misdeeds, gives useful, sometimes disturbing insight into how one group incorporated aspects of nationalist thought into their dream of creating a new Africa in rural Georgia. -- Lawrence A. Peskin, Morgan State University

Author Bio

Emeka C. Anaedozie is assistant professor of history at Grambling State University.