Kwame Ture (1941-98) is one of the greatest Pan-African voices of the 21st century. Like many Pan-Africanists in the Western Hemisphere, he came to his political convictions through the Black Power movement.
In this video clip, Ture calls out Africans fighting in the so-called ‘American Revolution,’ explaining why Black people should not have served on the side of the settlers. This is consistent with Ture’s stance that Africans around the world (including in the United States) should strive for self-determination and autonomy from the imperialist capitalist system or the ‘white power structure,’ as it was known at the time.
Another Pan-Africanist who has addressed this topic is historian Gerald Horne, who wrote the book, ‘The Counter-Revolution of 1776: Slave Resistance and the Origins of the United States of America’ (2014). However, he argues that Africans overwhelmingly and rightfully sided with the British over the US colonists. Horne calls the ‘American Revolution’ a fight to preserve slavery amidst Britain’s call to abolish the practice, leading Africans to side against the colonial settlers.
Do you believe that the ‘American Revolution’ was a revolution or a counter-revolution? And how should Africans have responded?
Sources:
http://www.aavw.org/special_features/speeches_speech_carmichael01.html