Au the beginning of the 20th century, when the whole of Africa, with the exception of Ethiopia which defeated the Italian invader under Menelik II and Liberia which was founded by the Afro descendants, is under the total yoke of colonization, blacks in the diaspora are slowly awakening to an assertive African consciousness. The process of destruction of the once wealthy black Africa, begun 400 years earlier by Europe, reaches its peak with the occupation of land.
It is an Africa decimated by 400 to 600 million human losses during the European and Arab treaties which undergoes the domination of the English, French, Portuguese, German, Belgian, Dutch and Spanish white settlers, establishing everywhere an apartheid system and of segregation, put the blacks in slavery at home and plundering the black continent to satiety to enrich Europe devoid of raw materials. Among the most abominable crimes, the 10000000 deaths in Congo committed by Belgian King Leopold II in 20 years, remains the most atrocious event of this period. In the Americas, many blacks are beginning to hope for the equality they have since fought for, and African pride is slowly rising.
The intellectual return to Africa is intensifying. Thus, an African-Trinidadian lawyer, Henri Sylvester Williams (1861-1911), founded the African association in London, whose goal is the unity of Africans native to the continent and those of the diaspora. It is the first international conference against racism and colonialism. The word pan-African was born in London in 1900. Henri Sylvester Williams is the founder of pan-Africanism. Among the 30 delegates a majority of Caribbean and Blacks living in England. A few Africans and African Americans are also present. Among the latter it is William Edward Du Bois (1868-1963), a gifted academic, who will become the leader of the movement. The conference which reviews the state of Africa and its diaspora gives birth to a committee led by WEB Du Bois which calls for moderate reforms of colonial policy. The document implores colonialist nations to “recognize and protect the rights of Africans and descendants of Africans”. It will have no impact.
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