Black writers and how they wrote our way to freedom

Writing has been very instrumental in black liberation movements all over the world. Different black writers over time have used it in various ways i.e., to speak against slavery and colonialism, to sham white supremacy, to educate blacks on their fundamental rights, and to create awareness of lost African cultures. Those writers will forever have their names ingrained in the world's history and their books read and preserved as world treasures.

Writing as a form of activism in black liberations

This group of black writers laid the foundation of writing as a critical tool for activism. Some of them like Ngugi Wa Thiongo, Wole Soyinka, and Wangari Maathai paid so heavily for their writings, with the governments of the day accusing them of invoking violence. In the diaspora especially in the United States of America, we know of various African-American writers like Toni Morrison, James Baldwin, and Maya Angelou who gave a voice to the black liberation movements and condemned racism in all its forms.

Apart from being excellent orators, international figures like Martin Luther King should also be recognized for their powerful speechwriting skills. The famous "I Have a Dream'' speech is today recognized as one of the best speeches of the 20th century. The address created awareness, called all stakeholders to action, and created hope for the victims of racism and prejudice in America.  

In a paper titled "THE RHETORICAL REASONS WHY MARTIN LUTHER KING’S 'I H AVE A DR EAM' SPEECH IS ONE OF THE GREATEST 20TH CENTURY AMERICAN ORATORICAL GEMS", writer George D. Gopen mentions Dr. King’s Use of Anaphora (beginning of several consecutive units of discourse with the same, recognizable opening word or words) as the secret to the greatness of the speech.

In a 1961 interview about his writing, author James Baldwin was asked what being Black American meant in terms of racism and the race's past atrocities. He concisely said, "To be a Negro in this country and to be relatively conscious is to be in a state of rage almost all of the time, and in one's work." Speaking from a  conscious African perspective, a person tends to notice what is going wrong in the world and is angered that people don't take the necessary steps to change. Writers like Baldwin and those I will mention here used their art to help Africans see the world for how damaged it was and thus invoke in them a desire for positive change.

In Kenya, writers Wangari Maathai and Ngugi Wa Thiongo used their writing to fight for social change and to demand good governance.  They faced brutality from the then-Kenyan regime. Specifically, Prof. Ngugi Wa Thiongo was imprisoned between 1977 and 1978 and later exiled for his activist writing. In one of his controversial pieces that invokes a fighting spirit against injustice, Prof. Ngugi Wa Thiongo writes:

Today, children, I am going to tell you about the history of Mr. Blackman in three sentences. In the beginning, he had the land and the mind and the soul together. On the second day, they took the body away to barter it for silver coins. On the third day, seeing that he was still fighting back, they brought priests and educators to bind his mind and soul so that these foreigners could more easily take his land and its produce. And now I shall ask you a question: What has Mr. Blackman done...? 

- Petals of Blood, Prof. Ngugi Wa Thiong’o

Ghanaian president, Dr. Kwame Nkrumah, is also one of the influential writers in the history of the African continent. Speaking of writing our way to freedom, Dr. Kwame Nkrumah wrote many books including his 1963 speech in Addis Ababa which can be classified as a blueprint for the full emancipation of the African continent.

>>> The United States of Africa as seen through the spectacles of Dr. Kwame Nkrumah <<<

15 black writers who shaped the course of history and humanity

The contribution of black writers in the struggle for freedom and equality can be found in their fiction, nonfiction, novels, short stories, essays, poetry, academic writings, interviews, and speeches. The discussions found in their writings have amplified the movement by shifting narratives, condemning oppression, and most importantly, giving a voice to the voiceless.

The list below is composed of different writers, from different genres and specializations but united by the same course, the liberation of black people. They have laid the foundation of political movements such as the American Civil Rights Movement and the Black Power and Black nationalism movements in the African continent. The list includes luminary writers from Africa, some from the United Kingdom, and various writers from the United States of America.

#1. James Baldwin (1924-1987)

Author James Baldwin is best known for vibrantly speaking on race, nationalism, sex, and class as issues affecting African Americans. He is today recognized as a leading voice of the American civil rights movement. Among his much-celebrated writings are, "Notes of a Native Son" and "I Am Not Your Negro."

Author James Baldwin

#2. Wangari Maathai (1940-2011)

Famously known for founding the Green Belt Movement and being the 2004 Nobel Peace Prize Laureate (making her the first African woman to win the award), Wangari Muta Maathai was also a political activist and a conscious writer. The Kenyan activist is best known for her books: The Green Belt Movement; Unbowed: A Memoir; The Challenge for Africa; and Replenishing the Earth.

Prof. Wangari Maathai

#3. Hakim Adi (1957-?)

Professor Hakim Adi is a British scholar who specializes in and writes on African history. He lectures at the University of Chichester. His writings focus on the history of African people especially those in the Diaspora, in Britain. Professor Adi is also recognized as the first historian of African descent to become a professor of History in Britain. Some of Prof. Adi's most recent works include; Black Voices on Britain, and African and Caribbean People in Britain, both published in 2022.

Prof. Hakim Adi

#4. Ngugi Wa Thiongo (1938-?)

He is a Kenyan author and academic who currently writes in Gikuyu, his native language. According to Britannica, Ngugi is considered East Africa's 'great novelist.' As he became sensitized to the effects of colonialism in Africa, and actively writing on the same, Ngugi dropped his English name and began writing in the Bantu language of Kenya’s Kikuyu people. He is famously known for his writings on good governance and anti-colonialism. His books Decolonizing the Mind, Weep Not,  A Grain of Wheat, and many others attest to this.

Prof. Ngugi Wa Thiongo

#5. Toni Morrison (1931-2019)

Famous for being the first Black woman to win the Nobel Prize for Literature in 1993, Toni Morrison was a great novelist and essayist. She mainly wrote against slavery and racism in America. Morrison also encouraged spirituality as she also wrote on the supernatural world. Slate Magazine's Laura Miller writes of Morrison as one who "reshaped the landscape of literature" with essays and stories that "no other novelist, Black or white, attempted. The Bluest Eye (1970), Beloved (1987), and Playing in the Dark: Whiteness and the Literary Imagination (1992) are among her leading books.

Toni Morrison 

#6. Wole Soyinka (1934-?)

Wole Soyinka is one of Africa's great minds, and is famously known as a playwright. His best-known works revolve around poetry, novels, and essays. He was also the first Black African awardee of the Nobel Prize for Literature in 1986. Soyinka is best known for writing and speaking of good governance, democracy, culture, and spirituality. His publications mainly address Africa’s challenges and Western role in the same. They include the Open Sore of a Continent (1996), The Burden of Memory, and The Muse of Forgiveness (1999).

#7. Maya Angelou (1928-2014)

As the author of seven autobiographies, along with many poetry books and essays, Maya Angelou's works have contributed greatly to the race and equality dialogue in America. Her most famous book, "I Know Why The Caged Bird Sings," is said to have come from the inspiration of the sad event of the assassination of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Other publications include, And Still I Rise (1978), On the Pulse of Morning (1993), Phenomenal Woman (1995), and many more. Her 50 years of writing career culminated in three Grammys, one Presidential Medal of Freedom, a Pulitzer nomination, and 36 books.

#8. Léopold Sédar Senghor (1906–2001)

Famously known as a Senegalese politician and the country's first president, Sédar Senghor was also a poet and a cultural theorist.  He is today recognized as one of the greatest proponents of African cultures, black identity, and African empowerment within the framework of French-African ties. His most famous collection of poems was published in 1991. See more of his books from thiftbooks.com.

#9. Cheikh Anta Diop (1923-1986)

Dr. Diop was a Senegalese historian, anthropologist, physicist, and politician who is best known for his publications on African history, especially in black ancient Egypt. He is today recognized among the founders of Afrocentric studies. His contribution to the shift in narratives that dominate history in terms of Western or Asian perspectives earned him much admiration and respect as a scholar. 

In 1974, Cheikh Anta Diop published a book, "The African Origin of Civilization: Myth or Reality", where he gives a detailed account of the ethnicity of ancient Egyptians. Diop also took part in writing a chapter entitled “Origin of the Ancient Egyptians”, in a publication by UNESCO on the General History of Africa.

#10. W.E.B. Dubois (1868-1963)

W.E.B. DuBois is recognized as among the most influential thinkers and activists of the 19th and 20th centuries. He was also an academician, author, and civil rights activist. His collection of essays, The Souls of Black Folk, and his 1935 magnum opus contributed majorly to answering the question of race in America. He was also the first African American to earn a doctoral degree from Harvard University. Dubois led many pan-African movements and established himself as a leading thinker on race and the plight of African Americans.

#11. Shaaban bin Robert (1909 - 1962)

Shaaban Robert, a prominent Tanzanian author born in 1909, made significant contributions to Swahili literature. His writing focused on social and political issues, advocating for change and justice. Through novels like "Kifaurongo" and "Mzingile," Robert used his literary prowess to address societal challenges, promoting awareness and activism. His works remain influential in both Tanzanian literature and the broader context of African literature.

#12. William Wells Brown (1814 - 1884)

William Wells Brown was a notable African American abolitionist, lecturer, and author. Born into slavery in Kentucky, he escaped to freedom and became the first published African American novelist with his work "Clotel" (1853). Brown was also a powerful orator, addressing audiences on anti-slavery and civil rights issues. His later works, like "The Escape" and "My Southern Home," continued to shed light on the harsh realities of slavery. Brown's contributions extend beyond literature, as he actively engaged in the abolitionist movement and fought for the rights and freedom of African Americans in the United States.

#13. Alex Haley (1921 - 1992)

Alex Haley was a renowned American writer and journalist, best known for his groundbreaking work "Roots: The Saga of an American Family" (1976). Born in Ithaca, New York, Haley traced his own family's history back to Africa, creating a narrative that spanned generations and vividly depicted the African American experience, from slavery to emancipation. "Roots" became a cultural phenomenon, both as a book and a television miniseries, contributing significantly to discussions about race, heritage, and identity in the United States. Haley's impact extended beyond literature, fostering dialogue on African American history and the importance of preserving one's cultural roots.

#14. Chinua Achebe (1930 - 2013)

Chinua Achebe was a Nigerian novelist, poet, and critic, often regarded as one of Africa's most influential literary figures. His seminal work, "Things Fall Apart" (1958), is considered a classic in African literature, addressing the impact of colonialism on traditional Igbo society. Achebe's writing skillfully interweaves cultural insights, historical context, and nuanced characters. His other notable works include "Arrow of God" and "No Longer at Ease." Beyond his literary contributions, Achebe was a vocal advocate for African identity and cultural pride. His legacy extends to his essays and lectures, where he critically engaged with post-colonial issues and the representation of Africa in literature.

#15. Micere Mugo (1942 - 2023)

Micere Mugo was a prominent Kenyan playwright, poet, and academic born in 1942. She has made substantial contributions to African literature and activism. Mugo's works, such as "The Trial of Dedan Kimathi" (co-written with Ngũgĩ wa Thiong'o), explore themes of colonialism, resistance, and the struggle for independence in Kenya. As an academic, she has held positions at various universities and is recognized for her commitment to education and cultural studies. Micere Mugo's influence extends beyond her literary accomplishments, encompassing her dedication to social justice and her significant role in shaping the discourse on African literature and cultural identity.

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What is the place of writing in the contemporary activism world

Today, there are many writers, established and upcoming, who carry on this light of activism, especially on matters of black liberation. It is encouraging to find all those reading materials; articles, journals, and books available for reference to future generations. Today's African writers walk in the light of those who walked before as explained in an epitaph on Nkrumah's mausoleum in Ghana which has a quote saying: 

I am in the knowledge that death can never extinguish the torch which I have lit in Ghana and Africa. Long after I am dead and gone, the light will continue to burn and be borne aloft, giving light and guidance to all people.

 

In summary, writing has always played a crucial role in activism, and its place in the contemporary world is no different. Through writing, activists can raise awareness about important issues, challenge dominant narratives, and mobilize communities to take action. Writing can also help to effect change at a political, social, and economic level.