What is Pan-Africanism?

[Im The Truth]

Originally Posted by Majadi

Now begs the question, who and what defines scientific socialism? I being one of those who believes that all of our people must be liberated often use the term Pan-Afrikan Nationalist in reference for myself. Are we defining Scientific Socialism by Afrikan values and systems? If so how is it that the masses will adopt this worldview? When we espouse intellectual argumentation as we so often do we come in danger of losing our people whose conditions exist as, food stamps, rats, roaches, crack, and mc donald's. Now understand I am not saying this is the natural condition of our folks nor am I saying this is the final stop for them but it is current for many of us! Pan-Afrikanism must be delivered in such a manner that it can truly be Pan(all, world) Afrikanist, and touch everybody!


We may have read Nkrumah, and Garvey, but how many of us have and more than that for those of us who have where are the practical means of using this stuff for food, shelter and clothing.

While I can agree with you on some parts I have to disagree. Seeing the past freedom fighters or Asafos (warrior who are also scholars) have defined these ideas based on their experiences how can we say they did not affect change for our people? Pan-Africanism came out of a time where our people who fighting for freedom and a time where our people know what independence and self-sufficiency was. Now our people think if you got a job and can pay some bills you are independent. We think "food stamps, rats, roaches, crack, and mc donald's" "is da shit". We got too many people who are more proud to live with "food stamps, rats, roaches, crack, and mc donald's" than to be hard-workers. What they say, “I’m so hood!” So yes the goals, ideas, and language from those who have (or inspire to) setup governments, lead millions of people, and who and know what independence is are going to be a little difficult to understand for people who think "food stamps, rats, roaches, crack, and mc donald's" is da shit. I don't think the messages, ideas, and language should be dumbed down unless we really want to take away from the purpose and reasoning of these ideas.

If you look at the well-known Pan-Africanist who put forth definitions you can see the differences in purpose and reasoning. Nkrumah and other African leadership had their eyes set on the complete end of colonialism and the best way to do this from a governmental point of view was "The total liberation and unification of Africa under Scientific Socialism" which in my opinion still isn't a bad idea. They as most African leadership has known you can’t solve any of your own problems if you are not free or independent. So how did they say to facilitate this by building a mass political party called which they called the All-African People's Revolutionary Party (AAPRP). You have to remember the final and best solution to the end of our people's problems is in self governing. This is why Nkrumah and others define Pan-African as such. Looking through the history of Pan-Africanism you will see a advancement in ideas and action. Henry Sylvester Williams, who some call the Father of Pan-Africanism, definition was a simpler definition of African unity but by the time the thought got to Nkrumah Africans were advancing towards independence so the idea was updated to full independence hence "The total liberation and unification of Africa under Scientific Socialism". In that definition you see independence, unity, and economic system. Notice the advancement for African unity to African independence, unity, and economic system. If you come over to see what Africans in the Americas were doing you'll see the same ideas especially since many Pan-Africanist were descendants of Africa slaves in the Americas. We've clearly stepped way backwards because we went from talking and acting on independence to many of us talking and acting on "food stamps, rats, roaches, crack, and mc donald's". We gotta get it together.

I think see what you are trying to say about losing our people by espousing intellectual argumentations but at the same time that doesn't make any sense. Somebody gotta be intelligent. Our people are being force fed anti-intelligent b.s 24/7/365 and what are we to do dumb down everything? Malcolm X was EXTREMELY intelligent yet was one of the MOST HATED men in ameriKKKa by black people! This is a fact. Malcolm X was treated like Osama bin Laden when he was alive yet his ideas carried forward and we can see the intelligence in his thought. The idea is not to dumb down to the "food stamps, rats, roaches, crack, and mc donald's" level but to bring our people up and away from that foolishness. There is nothing positive or productive about "food stamps, rats, roaches, crack, and mc donald's" so why should Africans at all be at that level? Huey P. Netwon, while he had some serious flaws, didn't speak at that level yet he help created on of the most fear African organization in ameriKKKa. The same is true about Kwame Ture, MLK Jr., Marcus Garvey, Kwame Nkrumah, Sekou Toure, Walter Rodney, and many others.

Also Pan-Africanism is an OBJECTIVE.

"The Africans have advanced the concept of Pan-Africanism as the best method of resolving African problems and of further strengthening African Independence and Unity.... Although this objective presupposes the total emancipation of the territories of Our region, most of which still finds Ourself under Colonial rule, this should not hinder the already Independent States of our region from going ahead and working out the practical arrangements that would give form and substance to this objective." - Emperor Haile Sellassie I

[Mamazen]

Originally Posted by Im The Truth

I think see what you are trying to say about losing our people by espousing intellectual argumentations but at the same time that doesn't make any sense. Somebody gotta be intelligent. Our people are being force fed anti-intelligent b.s 24/7/365 and what are we to do dumb down everything? Malcolm X was EXTREMELY intelligent yet was one of the MOST HATED men in ameriKKKa by black people! This is a fact. Malcolm X was treated like Osama bin Laden when he was alive yet his ideas carried forward and we can see the intelligence in his thought. The idea is not to dumb down to the "food stamps, rats, roaches, crack, and mc donald's" level but to bring our people up and away from that foolishness. There is nothing positive or productive about "food stamps, rats, roaches, crack, and mc donald's" so why should Africans at all be at that level? Huey P. Netwon, while he had some serious flaws, didn't speak at that level yet he help created on of the most fear African organization in ameriKKKa. The same is true about Kwame Ture, MLK Jr., Marcus Garvey, Kwame Nkrumah, Sekou Toure, Walter Rodney, and many others.

Also Pan-Africanism is an OBJECTIVE.

We need to remember that our message is competing against what is out there being broad casted 24/7/365. And, some of our people are truly brainwashed to think that is all that is out there.

Yes in some instances we will have to dumb down the message somewhat. Sure, many of our people are intelligent but, there are many that are not. If we are to not alienate anyone then the delivery of our message must remain flexible.

We get accused many times of "looking down" when we do not come at a person at their level..have we forgotten that in order to bring them up we must understand what we are bringing them up from..not only pay it lip service?

[Majadi]

My spiritual hands are Big so I feel what your are saying! My position is that unfortunately ideaology alone cannot save us, we will get mass support by speaking to the masses. Our classes in politics, economics and culture of course must be guerrilla style. Unfortunately I have been on too many college campuses where folks will espouse what they think is Pan-Afrikanism, but without the work ethic. Understand comrade, I am an Nkrumah type man, when I was with Silis Muhammad's Nation of Islam, I wrote a column called "The Probability of Government" In which I would espouse the building of independent nations for Afrikans. I would like these type of concepts starting from the grassroots. I guess its like my momma always says when I say, "Someone needs to do ----" She would say, "Well, negro when are you gonna do it?" My Pan-Afrikanism is intellectual but applicable to the practical needs of the masses. Not jobs, but creation of industry, Not Mc Donalds but healthy eating, not BET but ASSATASHAKUR.ORG/FORUM. We don't need rats and roaches or Gucci and Coaches but, production of our own goods. You and I are in one accord brother, we are just two ants who indeed wish to conquer the elephant but you got the trunk and I got the legs, regardless we are going to kill this big muthaf----!


Mamazen you put it down when you said,

We get accused many times of "looking down" when we do not come at a person at their level..have we forgotten that in order to bring them up we must understand what we are bringing them up from..not only pay it lip service?

[haqeel]

Originally Posted by rebelAfrika

The definition of Pan-Africanism AS DEFINED IN THE FIFTH PAN-AFRICANIST CONGRESS HELD IN MANCHESTER, ENGLAND, IN 1945 is: "The total liberation and unification of Africa under Scientific Socialism." All these other definitions (such as the one quoted above) are just "feel good" definitions.

Thank You!

[MsLioness]

Originally Posted by Majadi

My spiritual hands are Big so I feel what your are saying! My position is that unfortunately ideaology alone cannot save us, we will get mass support by speaking to the masses. Our classes in politics, economics and culture of course must be guerrilla style. Unfortunately I have been on too many college campuses where folks will espouse what they think is Pan-Afrikanism, but without the work ethic. Understand comrade, I am an Nkrumah type man, when I was with Silis Muhammad's Nation of Islam, I wrote a column called "The Probability of Government" In which I would espouse the building of independent nations for Afrikans. I would like these type of concepts starting from the grassroots. I guess its like my momma always says when I say, "Someone needs to do ----" She would say, "Well, negro when are you gonna do it?" My Pan-Afrikanism is intellectual but applicable to the practical needs of the masses. Not jobs, but creation of industry, Not Mc Donalds but healthy eating, not BET but ASSATASHAKUR.ORG/FORUM. We don't need rats and roaches or Gucci and Coaches but, production of our own goods. You and I are in one accord brother, we are just two ants who indeed wish to conquer the elephant but you got the trunk and I got the legs, regardless we are going to kill this big muthaf----!

Most of our struggles, brother, are ideological struggles...

Most of our Pro-Black/Afro-Centric brothers and sisters believe and live an ideology that is, in fact, idealism. Pan-Africanists are materialists. That is a major conflict in ideology. It drives me insane to hear our people, sisters especially, talk as if there is some force somewhere that we yield which can just make something happen. For example, BlackQueen when she came with that idea of using patience and Strong Black Love (whatever that is) to liberate an enslaved mind. Idealism is exactly non-promising, and I wonder how to secure any development under such philosophy.

And from Marx to Mao to Che to Ho Chi Minh to Nkrumah...revolutionary organizations need a revolutionary ideology....

One thing we have to eliminate is the myth about the "conscious" group/community.

Pan-Africanists are not anti-religious...we're just not going to use our religion, or system of belief, in a way to make unreal things real and real things unreal or to separate us or distract us from our goals.

But, for now, we settle with begging our People to just JOIN an Organization to teach organizing skills, which will serve as catalysts for the revolution.

Pan-Africanism is a real objective, and a specific objective. Under Pan-Africanism falls freedom, unity, black power, and probably even "strong black love." But Freedom...not specifically physical/material, neither unity, black power, nor strong black love. Those words have lost their physical meanings and have been replaced with these abstract and watered-down "feelings" (ideas) of what they truly are.

When Marcus Garvey talked about it, he was not playing, he was physically shipping people home. When Malcolm talked about human rights, he was going to, physically, put america on international courts to prove his point on the inhumane treatment of his people. Elijah Muhammad told his people to physically separate themselves from these people.

Pan-Africanism is an objective that is real and specific to our needs. Dialectical materialism keeps Pan-Africanism in check. It promises us that we will never resort to singing ourselves from captivity, once we are liberated. We will physically fight.

Pan-Africanism for us in america is so simple. We are supporters of Socialism>Communism being the objective, ultimately. We are to serve as a fifth column of Africa...making alliances with other revolutionary organizations world-wide to attack imperialism, fight for human rights and equality in america, to which we will never receive under capitalism...so a long-lasting fight, a reason to continue spreading the reality to our people.

Are a few technical terms going to get in the way of us taking up responsibility? It shouldn't. Most of the terms become daily use if we can get a brother or sister to just read a book. Terms like: oppression, liberation, enslavement, Pan-Africanism, neo-colonialism, colonialism...become a natural tongue with one run-through of The World and Africa by DuBois. Terms like: enemy, freedom, guerrilla warfare, socialism, The People...become natural with Che: A Revolutionary Life. One book, thoroughly read, can add some great and efficient words to the vocabulary.

When we accept that it is not the term itself, but the fact that the enemy has strategically extinguished our desire to know such words...we can go on with this thing and get our brothers and sisters into our organizations.

Pan-Africanism is so important, and we should never allow ourselves to lose site or desire to get us there. So what if it is not-likely that we will see it? Our children are going to still be here, do they not deserve to be free? Do not their children deserve to govern themselves and not be oppressed?

We have to fight EVERYDAY.

Pan-Africanism is likened to be an industrialized and technologically advancing form of communalism. To which, some of our brothers and sisters who get caught up in the whole "sankofa" thing, think that we are trying to move backwards, physically, forreal. This is another problem.... That is all wrong. We are moving FORWARD. Anyways, we learn that their is no way to do that...that is impractical.

And that is one of the major reasons why we push Pan-Africanism with so much force. Some people think our objective is a capitalist Africa or over-throwing the american government to become a black capitalist america, going back to communalism days, and just a whole bunch of mush...and un-realities.

Ideology is VITAL to the revolution.

[BlackQueen]

"All of us may not live to see the higher accomplishment of an African Empire-so strong and powerful, as to compel the respect of mankind, but we in our life-time can so work and act as to make the dream a possiblity within another generation." -Marcus Garvey

[Majadi]

Originally Posted by MsLioness

Most of our struggles, brother, are ideological struggles...

Most of our Pro-Black/Afro-Centric brothers and sisters believe and live an ideology that is, in fact, idealism. Pan-Africanists are materialists. That is a major conflict in ideology.....Ideology is VITAL to the revolution.

I thank the most high that we have you with us, your committment is strong and with firm resolve, dear heart. Ironically I think that BlackQueen's concept of "...strong, Black Love..." is the same energy as the ideology that motivates Pan-Afrikanism and Pan-Afrikanists. I had a dream years ago, one that repeated itself, in the dream I "taught" from a podium, to my left side of the podium there were numerous books that I could not make out, I knew they were revolutionary in nature, as they were set in a stand of sorts and left there for my usage. In front of me were any number of Pan-Afrikanists, Black Nationalists and Afrikans representing our numerous aspects of our movement. Attempting to stay away from the cryptic tones let us suffice it to say that in the dream and in physical I view Pan-Afrikanism as an all inclusive concept! I see that energy or motivation (read:ideology) as the same thing, it is that driving force behind the numerous reasons many of us are here on this forum! We are pushing for the same goals, all having arrived on different boats in different clothing, but the trip is the same. Your genius is in your statement that some of us live and ideology, you are 100% on that, now we must decide if our children can eat "ideology" or if it is better to feed them our own organically grown food. Surely were we to live in the "dream" of Pan-Afrikanism our children would perish!

[BlackQueen]

The ideological struggles we endure are real. They are not fabricated like the bullshit that the Amerikan government tries to force down our throats. Our ideological views stem from years of slavery and oppression. They came from true revolutionaries such as Marcus Garvey,Amy Jacques Garvey,and not from ass-kissing "intellectuals" like DuBois,Jesse Jackson,And Al Sharpton. All they did was run their mouths,and try to unify with the enemy. We need true leaders who have embraced the ideologies of those who were fearless in the quest for our freedom.

Originally Posted by MsLioness

Most of our struggles, brother, are ideological struggles...

Most of our Pro-Black/Afro-Centric brothers and sisters believe and live an ideology that is, in fact, idealism. Pan-Africanists are materialists. That is a major conflict in ideology. It drives me insane to hear our people, sisters especially, talk as if there is some force somewhere that we yield which can just make something happen. For example, BlackQueen when she came with that idea of using patience and Strong Black Love (whatever that is) to liberate an enslaved mind. Idealism is exactly non-promising, and I wonder how to secure any development under such philosophy.

And from Marx to Mao to Che to Ho Chi Minh to Nkrumah...revolutionary organizations need a revolutionary ideology....

One thing we have to eliminate is the myth about the "conscious" group/community.

Pan-Africanists are not anti-religious...we're just not going to use our religion, or system of belief, in a way to make unreal things real and real things unreal or to separate us or distract us from our goals.

But, for now, we settle with begging our People to just JOIN an Organization to teach organizing skills, which will serve as catalysts for the revolution.

Pan-Africanism is a real objective, and a specific objective. Under Pan-Africanism falls freedom, unity, black power, and probably even "strong black love." But Freedom...not specifically physical/material, neither unity, black power, nor strong black love. Those words have lost their physical meanings and have been replaced with these abstract and watered-down "feelings" (ideas) of what they truly are.

When Marcus Garvey talked about it, he was not playing, he was physically shipping people home. When Malcolm talked about human rights, he was going to, physically, put america on international courts to prove his point on the inhumane treatment of his people. Elijah Muhammad told his people to physically separate themselves from these people.

Pan-Africanism is an objective that is real and specific to our needs. Dialectical materialism keeps Pan-Africanism in check. It promises us that we will never resort to singing ourselves from captivity, once we are liberated. We will physically fight.

Pan-Africanism for us in america is so simple. We are supporters of Socialism>Communism being the objective, ultimately. We are to serve as a fifth column of Africa...making alliances with other revolutionary organizations world-wide to attack imperialism, fight for human rights and equality in america, to which we will never receive under capitalism...so a long-lasting fight, a reason to continue spreading the reality to our people.

Are a few technical terms going to get in the way of us taking up responsibility? It shouldn't. Most of the terms become daily use if we can get a brother or sister to just read a book. Terms like: oppression, liberation, enslavement, Pan-Africanism, neo-colonialism, colonialism...become a natural tongue with one run-through of The World and Africa by DuBois. Terms like: enemy, freedom, guerrilla warfare, socialism, The People...become natural with Che: A Revolutionary Life. One book, thoroughly read, can add some great and efficient words to the vocabulary.

When we accept that it is not the term itself, but the fact that the enemy has strategically extinguished our desire to know such words...we can go on with this thing and get our brothers and sisters into our organizations.

Pan-Africanism is so important, and we should never allow ourselves to lose site or desire to get us there. So what if it is not-likely that we will see it? Our children are going to still be here, do they not deserve to be free? Do not their children deserve to govern themselves and not be oppressed?

We have to fight EVERYDAY.

Pan-Africanism is likened to be an industrialized and technologically advancing form of communalism. To which, some of our brothers and sisters who get caught up in the whole "sankofa" thing, think that we are trying to move backwards, physically, forreal. This is another problem.... That is all wrong. We are moving FORWARD. Anyways, we learn that their is no way to do that...that is impractical.

And that is one of the major reasons why we push Pan-Africanism with so much force. Some people think our objective is a capitalist Africa or over-throwing the american government to become a black capitalist america, going back to communalism days, and just a whole bunch of mush...and un-realities.

Ideology is VITAL to the revolution.

[MsLioness]

Originally Posted by Majadi

I thank the most high that we have you with us, your committment is strong and with firm resolve, dear heart. Ironically I think that BlackQueen's concept of "...strong, Black Love..." is the same energy as the ideology that motivates Pan-Afrikanism and Pan-Afrikanists. I had a dream years ago, one that repeated itself, in the dream I "taught" from a podium, to my left side of the podium there were numerous books that I could not make out, I knew they were revolutionary in nature, as they were set in a stand of sorts and left there for my usage. In front of me were any number of Pan-Afrikanists, Black Nationalists and Afrikans representing our numerous aspects of our movement. Attempting to stay away from the cryptic tones let us suffice it to say that in the dream and in physical I view Pan-Afrikanism as an all inclusive concept! I see that energy or motivation (read:ideology) as the same thing, it is that driving force behind the numerous reasons many of us are here on this forum! We are pushing for the same goals, all having arrived on different boats in different clothing, but the trip is the same. Your genius is in your statement that some of us live and ideology, you are 100% on that, now we must decide if our children can eat "ideology" or if it is better to feed them our own organically grown food. Surely were we to live in the "dream" of Pan-Afrikanism our children would perish!

I understand exactly what you are saying.

Motivation, often times, is always abstract. "Strong Black Love" is one of those implied feelings....as "parasitic" is an implied adjective in describing capitalism.

But what makes capitalism parasitic? We have to actually define these terms, concretely, and present them to Our People in such a way that they may be secure in knowing that they understand this process that we are going through and, possibly, predict what will happen next. Its scientific. "Strong Black Love" is not.

I think, personally, that our People have had lots of "Strong Black Love." I have enough to liberate the whole world of Black People...IF it had such powers.

Anyways, when we understand the processes and developments of oppression as something that is not foreign to the world, and that there is no such thing as African Socialism.....then we will see that other people have liberated themselves...these people who are not "black." So does it take "Strong Black Love", no it doesn't.

I know where it comes from...but it is very important to understand that we are naturally a People who possess such feelings and sentiments for ourselves and ALL of humanity. That is how the African People are. Kwame Nkrumah describes the spirit, or the way, his People in Ghana are and in that, he revealed how the seizure of power took place on Feb. 24, 1966 in Dark Days.

"Strong Black Love" or "Love" in general is not anything foreign to revolutions. Its not exceptional or different... people, in general, who understand universal pain and struggle, love humanity, period. For example, if we see a child slumped-over in the middle of the road...most people, if not all people, would see whats wrong with that child. They would not care what nationality, language, religion, ideology, none of that.... they would not care because that very simple and universal concept of understanding would override any of those lesser values....that could be called love. Is "Strong Black Love" any different from that? I don't think so.

Basically, it took the physical condition of that child, or person, to allow that feeling to emerge. And you would respond in a physical way...possibly taking him to his house or to the doctor. There is an understanding of the invisible force between the child and the helper of the child, but it is what is physically happening that actually matters.

Idealism is always reliant on a material situation. Unless, then people start going invisible....using God and other "powers", which still, ultimately have a physical condition to bring about change, also.

I am not bashing love. I am embracing it. However, I refuse to use it as a reliable source in and only in itself...because it cannot stand on its own without a physical happening.

In China, the children embraced the revolution. They actually had a cultural revolution, also. The music and plays and various entertainment reflected that of the revolution.

I do believe that our children can digest this information. Development makes this possible. For example, most children these days know more about algebra then the parents. Even in socializing, the kids these days are doing much more, in many ways, then their parents were. Real conditions changed very little as compared to the development of the people... Our People are still in the ghettos or poorest living conditions (there are advancements in the structures of these areas, while maintaining the fact that it is still the ghetto), and the people are on new levels. Everything is moving forward.

To teach to the children is a process. Our own "organically grown food" is our up-bringing, as it always has been. My parents taught me differently then our neighbor's taught their children. With these values, we take them out into the world and see how they do not work for the benefit of all of the people, so we start to ask questions and join organizations and move forward and develop...in the society. Or we could take those values and see that they are not the best in moving upward in the society, leave as many people behind, and work with the society to keep it the same, as to benefit self.

The Organically Grown Food is great. The reality remains that, even as Pan-Africanists, there are so many issues in functioning in this society because of the contradiction of capitalism. No matter what kind of food, if your children, or whomever, are in this type of place, they will still be oppressed.

Pan-Africanism is our objective and its very simple. Pan-Africanism embraces development. Some people, some Pan-Africanists, even argue that the first slave revolts and any form of resistance during and after the colonial period, were the first efforts of pan-Africanism.

All of the technicalities and complexities just dig deeper and those who dedicate themselves to these scientific methods join revolutionary parties and serve as catalysts for the expression of the masses. That's all.

Kwame taught us how the unqualified are actually qualified.

[Majadi]

Originally Posted by MsLioness

...as "parasitic" is an implied adjective in describing capitalism.That my dear is some funny ish! I am at work and I am dying laughing, ironicallyb I work for a bank, in customer service no doubt! That is sooooo, funny!

Here you are 100% on the spear tip with that one, we must use terms that are engaging the people in their heads and not just their hearts!

I

I am one of the proponents of this concept, the jury is still out but the goal of course was freedom by any means neccesary obviously and it was across ethnic lines of variant Afrikan groups (thus Pan-Afrikanism)

You know of Boukman no doubt, at the beginning of the Haitian Revolution, which In my opinion never quite finished itself, but that is another story! Boukman used that Afrikan love in that speech/prayer told before the revolt! That poem/prayer was inspirational and fiery but the action that followed was pure Revolutionary Afrikan genius at work. The fire in the bellies of the children of Afrika can be a perpetual flame that can enlighten, inspire, build, destroy, elevate, produce. We can use that "black love" to motivate us to action, to scientific and material production of our own goods and services, it is just for you and I too make it the same concept as opposed to the work with no spirit or the spirit with no wok. We should work in the spirit, and find the spirituality in our work!

P.S. This conversation feels as good as a Coltrane jam playing while sitting under a tree! I love this, I am learning a lot from you, I have not read Nkrumah since I was 19 or 20, perhaps a re-read is in order!

[Elisa Keisha]

Originally Posted by MsLioness

Most of our struggles, brother, are ideological struggles...

Most of our Pro-Black/Afro-Centric brothers and sisters believe and live an ideology that is, in fact, idealism. Pan-Africanists are materialists. That is a major conflict in ideology. It drives me insane to hear our people, sisters especially, talk as if there is some force somewhere that we yield which can just make something happen. For example, BlackQueen when she came with that idea of using patience and Strong Black Love (whatever that is) to liberate an enslaved mind. Idealism is exactly non-promising, and I wonder how to secure any development under such philosophy.

And from Marx to Mao to Che to Ho Chi Minh to Nkrumah...revolutionary organizations need a revolutionary ideology....

One thing we have to eliminate is the myth about the "conscious" group/community.

Pan-Africanists are not anti-religious...we're just not going to use our religion, or system of belief, in a way to make unreal things real and real things unreal or to separate us or distract us from our goals.

But, for now, we settle with begging our People to just JOIN an Organization to teach organizing skills, which will serve as catalysts for the revolution.

Pan-Africanism is a real objective, and a specific objective. Under Pan-Africanism falls freedom, unity, black power, and probably even "strong black love." But Freedom...not specifically physical/material, neither unity, black power, nor strong black love. Those words have lost their physical meanings and have been replaced with these abstract and watered-down "feelings" (ideas) of what they truly are.

When Marcus Garvey talked about it, he was not playing, he was physically shipping people home. When Malcolm talked about human rights, he was going to, physically, put america on international courts to prove his point on the inhumane treatment of his people. Elijah Muhammad told his people to physically separate themselves from these people.

Pan-Africanism is an objective that is real and specific to our needs. Dialectical materialism keeps Pan-Africanism in check. It promises us that we will never resort to singing ourselves from captivity, once we are liberated. We will physically fight.

Pan-Africanism for us in america is so simple. We are supporters of Socialism>Communism being the objective, ultimately. We are to serve as a fifth column of Africa...making alliances with other revolutionary organizations world-wide to attack imperialism, fight for human rights and equality in america, to which we will never receive under capitalism...so a long-lasting fight, a reason to continue spreading the reality to our people.

Are a few technical terms going to get in the way of us taking up responsibility? It shouldn't. Most of the terms become daily use if we can get a brother or sister to just read a book. Terms like: oppression, liberation, enslavement, Pan-Africanism, neo-colonialism, colonialism...become a natural tongue with one run-through of The World and Africa by DuBois. Terms like: enemy, freedom, guerrilla warfare, socialism, The People...become natural with Che: A Revolutionary Life. One book, thoroughly read, can add some great and efficient words to the vocabulary.

When we accept that it is not the term itself, but the fact that the enemy has strategically extinguished our desire to know such words...we can go on with this thing and get our brothers and sisters into our organizations.

Pan-Africanism is so important, and we should never allow ourselves to lose site or desire to get us there. So what if it is not-likely that we will see it? Our children are going to still be here, do they not deserve to be free? Do not their children deserve to govern themselves and not be oppressed?

We have to fight EVERYDAY.

Pan-Africanism is likened to be an industrialized and technologically advancing form of communalism. To which, some of our brothers and sisters who get caught up in the whole "sankofa" thing, think that we are trying to move backwards, physically, forreal. This is another problem.... That is all wrong. We are moving FORWARD. Anyways, we learn that their is no way to do that...that is impractical.

And that is one of the major reasons why we push Pan-Africanism with so much force. Some people think our objective is a capitalist Africa or over-throwing the american government to become a black capitalist america, going back to communalism days, and just a whole bunch of mush...and un-realities.

Ideology is VITAL to the revolution.

For real, hearing you speaking Panafrikanism with panafrikanist terms, i wonder how come not more people feel like joining "whatever organization that woman is in!"
I believe whoEVER is spoken to like that would feel inspired, no matter how hood he/she is.

[Majadi]

For Real, Ms.Lioness speaks and I get all goosebumpish and stuff! Real Fire! And a lot of sense!

[BlackQueen]

Why do you think she is called a lioness?

Originally Posted by Majadi

For Real, Ms.Lioness speaks and I get all goosebumpish and stuff! Real Fire! And a lot of sense!

[MsLioness]

<<bump!!!!>>

[Langalibalele]

I am glad this discussion came up, because it is being waged in other forms across the blogosphere. It is being waged as a war of words on Sons of Africa, the BlackList, Blackthought and other discussion boards. Unlike this forum, however the quality of discussion is not strong at all and much of it is defined by subjectivism.

While Marcus Garvey called himself an African Fundamentalist, most of us today say he was a Pan Africanist. I continue to say that modern Pan Africanism developed from two separate sources: John S Rock, Henry Sylvester Williams and others who built the black pride movement, and the theory of class struggle articulated by Marx, Lenin and others.

One thing we always have to understand is that Pan Africanism is a developing theory. From the first Pan African Congress until 1945, there was little more than a race-based theory, which worked out African identity but did little as far as applying a class analysis. Then the Fifth Congress in 1945 applied a revolutionary content for the first time. That content became sharpened over time by contributions not only of Nkrumah but Fanon, Cabral, Sobukwe, Huey P, Walter Rodney, George Jackson, Yeshitela, Bantu Biko, Malcolm X and many others.

Many people have contributed to Pan Africanism, and many are still workingon it. There is Nkrumah's saying, "Theory without action is empty, and action without theory is blind." We must respect that. We must respect the notion that practice is universality, that is it clarifies our assumptions.

POWER TO THE PEOPLE!
IZWE LETHU I AFRIKA!