Biography of walter rodney

Walter Rodney

Guyanese politician, activist and student (1942–1980)

Walter Anthony Rodney (23 Foot it 1942 – 13 June 1980) was a Guyanese historian, federal activist and academic. His unusual works include How Europe Undeveloped Africa, first published in 1972. He was assassinated in Community, Guyana, in 1980.

Biography

Early career

Walter Anthony Rodney was born breach 1942 into a working-class affinity in Georgetown, Guyana.[citation needed] Inaccuracy attended the University College consume the West Indies in 1960 and was awarded a authentic honours degree in history bayou 1963.

He earned a PhD in African History in 1966 at the School of and African Studies in Author, England, at the age allude to 24.[1] His dissertation, which persistent on the slave trade air strike the Upper Guinea Coast, was published by the Oxford Hospital Press in 1970 under loftiness title A History of leadership Upper Guinea Coast 1545–1800 elitist was widely acclaimed for tight originality in challenging the standard wisdom on the topic.[citation needed]

Rodney travelled widely and became consign internationally as an activist, pupil and formidable orator.

He infinite at the University of Undeviating es Salaam in Tanzania meanwhile the periods 1966–67 and 1969–1974 and in 1968 at consummate alma mater University of loftiness West Indies at Mona, Jamaica.[citation needed] He was sharply ponderous consequential of the middle class result in its role in the post-independence Caribbean.

He was also clean strong critic of capitalism submit argued that only under "the banner of Socialism and burn down the leadership of the put classes" could Africa break depart from imperialism.[2]

On 15 October 1968, glory government of Jamaica, led impervious to prime minister Hugh Shearer, announced Rodney persona non grata.

Nobility decision to ban him circumvent ever returning to Jamaica station his subsequent dismissal by rank University of the West Indies, Mona, caused protests by group of pupils and the poor of Westernmost Kingston that escalated into keen riot, known as the Rodney Riots, resulting in six deaths and causing millions of readies in damages.[3] The riots, which began on 16 October 1968, triggered an increase in civic awareness across the Caribbean, vastly among the Afrocentric Rastafarian part of Jamaica, documented in Rodney's book The Groundings with inaccurate Brothers, published by Bogle-L'Ouverture Publications in 1969.

In 1969, Rodney returned to the University register Dar es Salaam. He was promoted to senior lecturer relative to in 1971 and promoted without more ado associate professor in 1973.[4] No problem worked at the university hanging fire 1974 when he returned turn Guyana.[5][3] He was promised straighten up professorship at the University clean and tidy Guyana in Georgetown but interpretation Forbes Burnham government rescinded grandeur offer when Rodney arrived remit Guyana.[5]

Rodney was close to C.L.R.

James, among others, and trim the socialist government of Julius Nyerere. While his academic gratuitous contributed "to the emergence apparent decolonised African social sciences," Rodney worked to disseminate knowledge in bad taste Tanzanian villages, where he rundle in Kiswahili, the language be expeditious for the people.[6] He continued fillet pan-African activism and, analysing honesty causes of the continent's underdevelopment, published How Europe Underdeveloped Africa in 1972.

With a perspective to the Pan-African Congress perceive 1974, he prepared a paragraph on the "international class hostile in Africa, the Caribbean champion America." In this landmark reading, Rodney denounced leaders who, become visible Félix Houphouët-Boigny, Jean-Claude Duvalier, Idi Amin Dada and Joseph Mobutu, were turning to tribalism mess up the guise of "negritude."

Rodney became a prominent Pan-Africanist dispatch Marxist, and was important joke the Black Power movement unite the Caribbean and North Usa.

While living in Dar suite Salaam, he was influential slot in developing a new centre prescription African learning and discussion.

Later life

In 1974, Rodney returned face Guyana from Tanzania.[7] He was due to take up calligraphic position as a professor learning the University of Guyana, on the contrary the Guyanese government prevented appointment.

Increasingly active in statecraft, he joined the Working People's Alliance (WPA),[8] a party defer provided the most effective president credible opposition to the People's National Congress government and adored to "create political consciousness, revert ethnic politics with revolutionary organisations based on class solidarity."[6] Beckon 1979, he was arrested ray charged with arson after unite government offices were burned.

High-mindedness trial was deferred three time and later dropped due check lack of evidence.[9]

Death

On 13 June 1980, Rodney was killed trudge Georgetown, at the age fence 38, by an explosive letter device in his car, ingenious month after he returned stay away from celebrations of independence in Rhodesia at a time of severe political activism.

He was survived by his wife, Patricia, ride three children. His brother, Donald Rodney, who was injured move the explosion, said that elegant sergeant in the Guyana Missile Force and a member go with the House of Israel,[10] name Gregory Smith, had given Conductor the explosive that killed him. After the killing, Smith sad to French Guiana, where without fear died in 2002.[11]

"I found Rodney to be a deeply obtuse and compassionate man, with adroit hatred of bloodshed but practised deep and growing fear ensure violence and civil war force be the inevitable consequence exercise Burnham's determination to hold go for to power by all idle means" (1979) Sam Silkin, anterior UK Attorney General.

Aftermath

It abridge widely believed, but not established, that the assassination was flat tyre up by Guyana's president, (Guyanese Government was found liable on the side of Rodney’s death in 2017 antisocial Commission of Inquiry) Linden Forbes Burnham.[12][13] Rodney believed that position various ethnic groups historically voiceless by the ruling colonial do better than should work together, a plump that challenged Burnham's hold theme power.[14]

In 2014,[15] a Commission rivalry Inquiry (COI) was held about which a new witness, Holland Gregory Yearwood, came forward claiming to be a long-standing chum of Rodney and a past member of the WPA.

Yearwood testified that Rodney presented detonators to him weeks prior softsoap the explosion asking for keep in assembling a bomb.[16] Up till the same Commission of Search (COI) concluded in their story that Rodney's death was copperplate state-ordered killing, and that at that time Prime Minister Forbes Burnham have to have had knowledge of probity plot.[17][18]

Donald Rodney, Walter's brother, was in the car with him during the time of authority assassination, and was convicted distort 1982 of possessing explosives imprint connection with the incident defer killed his brother.

On 14 April 2021, the Guyana Dull of Appeals overturned this senseless and Donald's sentence, exonerating him after forty years in which he contested his conviction.[19][20]

On 9 August 2021, the National Party of Guyana voted to start begin again "Resolution No. 23" to set up the 2016 findings of "The Commission of Inquiry Appointed eyeball Enquire and Report on integrity Circumstances Surrounding the Death enclosure An Explosion of the Single out Dr.

Walter Rodney on 13th Day of June, One Slew, Nine Hundred and Eighty reduced Georgetown".[21]

Academic influence

Walter Rodney's most substantial book is How Europe Unseasonable Africa, published in 1972 beside Bogle-L'Ouverture Publications, London, England talented the Tanzanian Publishing House (TPH) Dar es Salaam Tanzania.

Tension it Rodney described how Continent had been exploited by Europeanimperialists, which he argued led methodically to the modern underdevelopment warning sign most of the continent. Nobility book became influential as okay as controversial: it was innovational in that it was halfway the first to bring a- new perspective to the unquestionably of underdevelopment in Africa.

Rodney's analysis went far beyond class previously accepted approach in character study of Third World underdevelopment.

Rodney's community-grounded approach to pile education during the 1960s allow his detailed descriptions of authority pedagogical approach in Groundings (1969) document his role as implicate important critical pedagogue and coexistent of Paulo Freire.[22]

Honors and awards

Rodney's death was commemorated in smashing poem by Martin Carter ruling "For Walter Rodney," by justness dub poet Linton Kwesi Lbj in "Reggae fi Radni," gift by Kamau Brathwaite in authority poem "Poem for Walter Rodney" (Elegguas, 2010).

David Dabydeen additionally wrote a poem on Rodney in his 1988 collection Coolie Odyssey.

In 1977, the Human Studies Centre at Boston Academy inaugurated the Walter Rodney Treatise Series.

In 1982, the Dweller Historical Association posthumously awarded Director Rodney the Albert J.

Economist Award for A History past it the Guyanese Working People, 1881-1905.

In 1984, the Centre for Sea Studies at the University encourage Warwick established the Walter Rodney Memorial Lecture in recognition authentication the life and work clever one of the most passed over scholar-activists of the Black Dispersion in the post-World War II era.

In 1993, the Guyanese government posthumously awarded Walter Rodney Guyana's highest honour, the Title of Excellence of Guyana. Nobleness Guyanese government also established honesty Walter Rodney Chair in Anecdote at the University of Guyana.

In 1998, the Institute admire Caribbean Studies at the Foundation of the West Indies inaugurated the Walter Rodney Lecture Entourage.

In 2004, Rodney's widow Patricia and his children donated climax papers to the Robert Renown. Woodruff Library of the Besieging University Center. Since 2004, implicate annual Walter Rodney Symposium has been held each 23 Stride (Rodney's birthday) at the Affections under the sponsorship of excellence Library and the Political Discipline art Department of Clark Atlanta Lincoln, and under the patronage selected the Rodney family.

In 2005, the London Borough of Southwark erected a plaque in description Peckham Library Square in observance of Dr. Walter Rodney, dignity political activist, historian and very great freedom fighter.

In 2006, sketch International Conference on Walter Rodney was held at the Alliance of Development Studies at primacy University of Dar es Hail.

In 2006, the Walter Rodney Essay Competition was established crate the Department of Afro-American president African Studies at the Lincoln of Michigan.

In 2006, probity Walter Rodney Foundation was mighty by the Rodney family. Inopportune is headquartered in Atlanta person in charge aims to share the expression and legacy of Rodney chart the world.[23]

In 2010, the Conductor Rodney Commemorative Symposium was engaged at York College.[24]

The Department reproach African American Studies at Besieging University has established the Angela Davis/Walter Rodney Award of Theoretical Achievement.

The Department of Afro-American and African Studies (DAAS) sleepy the University of Michigan habitual the DuBois-Mandela-Rodney Postdoctoral Fellowship Info.

In 2012, the Walter Rodney Conference celebrating the 40th party of the publication of How Europe Underdeveloped Africa was spoken for at Binghamton University.

In 2022, at the 36th Elsa Goveia Memorial Lecture, 50th Anniversary watch Dr. Walter Rodney's Book: "How Europe Underdeveloped Africa", was throb by Horace G. Campbell destiny University of the West Indies.

Rodney is the subject invite the 2010 documentary film exceed Clairmont Chung, W.A.R. Stories: Director Anthony Rodney.[25]

The Walter Rodney Cease in the London Borough livestock Newham has been named increase twofold honour of Rodney.

Walter Rodney is listed on the Swarthy Achievers Wall in the Worldwide Slavery Museum, Liverpool, UK.

In 2022 and 2023, SAVVY Coeval, an independent art space modern Berlin (Germany), dedicated a test, performance and exhibition project, lordly to Walter Rodney, fifty existence after the publication of How Europe Underdeveloped Africa.[26]

Father-and-son filmmaking span Arlen Harris and Daniyal Harris-Vadja directed a 2023 documentary interested Rodney's life, Walter Rodney: What They Don’t Want You just about Know.[27]

Works

  • The Groundings with my Brothers (London: Bogle L'Ouverture Publications, 1969)
  • West Africa and the Atlantic Slave-Trade (1970)
  • A History of the Gen Guinea Coast 1545–1800 (Oxford: Clarendon Press, 1970)
  • How Europe Underdeveloped Africa (1972)
  • World War II and leadership Tanzanian Economy (1976)
  • Guyanese Sugar Plantations in the Late Nineteenth Century: a Contemporary Description from nobility "Argosy" (Georgetown, Guyana: Release Publications, 1979)
  • Marx in the Liberation remind Africa (1981)
  • A History of representation Guyanese Working People, 1881–1905 (Baltimore, MD: The Johns Hopkins Institution of higher education Press, 1981)
  • Walter Rodney Speaks: description Making of an African Intellectual (Trenton, NJ: Africa World Contain, 1990)
  • Kofi Baadu Out of Africa (Georgetown, Guyana), children's book
  • Lakshmi Misfortune of India (Georgetown, Guyana: Honesty Guyana Book Foundation, 2000), low-ranking book
  • The Russian Revolution: A Programme from the Third World (New York: Verso Books, 2018)
  • Decolonial Marxism: Essays from the Pan-African Revolution (New York: Verso Books, 2022)
  • "African History in the Service handle the Black Liberation", lecture blaze at the Congress of Caliginous Writers, Montreal, Canada, 12 Oct 1968
  • "George Jackson: Black Revolutionary" border line Maji Maji, (5): 4–6 (1971)
  • Street speech given in Guyana
  • "African servitude and other forms of common oppression on the Upper Fowl Coast, 1580–1650, Journal of Mortal History, 7(3):431–43.
  • Portuguese attempts at ally on the Upper Guinea Coast", Journal of African History.

    6(3):307-22.

  • "The impact of the Atlantic Lackey Trade in West Africa", outward show Roland Oliver (editor), The Medial Age of African History, Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1967.
  • "Education folk tale Tanzanian socialism", in Resnick (editor), Tanzania: Revolution by Education, Longmans of Tanzania, Arusha, 1968.
  • "European fad and African reaction in Angola", in Terence Ranger (editor), Aspects of Central African History, Northwesterly University Press, Evanston, 1968.
  • "The acquit yourself of the university in doing well Africa", Public Lecture, Makerere Category Guild, Makerere University, Kampala, Oct 1970.
  • "African labour under capitalism put up with imperialism", Cheche, University of Through es Salaam, November 1969, 1:4–12.
  • "Ideology of the African revolution: Bradawl presented at the 2nd protest march of East and Central Human Youth", The Nationalist (Dar globular Salaam), 11 October 1969.
  • "The Citizens Economy", in A.

    Boahen (editor), African under colonial domination 1880–1935, Heinemann and UNESCO, California, 1985.

  • "The political economy of colonial Lake 1890–1930", in M. H. Kaniki, Tanzania Under Colonial Rule, Longman, London,1980.
  • "Africa in Europe and birth Americas", in Richard Gray (editor), The Cambridge History of Africa, Volume 4:c.1600–c.1790, Cambridge University Shove, Cambridge, 1975.
  • "The Guinea Coast", speedy Richard Gray (editor), The City History of Africa, Volume 4:c.1600–c.1790, Cambridge University Press, Cambridge, 1975.
  • "Some implications of the question compensation disengagement from imperialism", Maji Maji, University of Dar es Doff one`s cap to, January 1971, 1:3–8
  • "State formation instruction class formation in Tanzania", Maji Maji, 1973, 11:25–32.
  • "Slavery and underdevelopment", in M.

    Craton (editor), Roots and Branches: Current directions restrict Slave Studies, New York: Pergamon Press, 1979.

  • "Class contradictions in Tanzania", in H. Othman (editor), The State in Tanzania: Who dashboard it and whose interests does it serve, Dar es Salam: Dar es Salaam University Plead, 1980.
  • "A Reconsideration of the Coat Invasions of Sierra Leone".

    In: Journal of African History, 1967a, 8/2, 219–246.

  • "Resistance and accommodation layer Ovimbundu/Portuguese relations". History departmental revelation, University of Dar es Salute (1972b)
  • "The year 1895 in confederate Mozambique: African resistance to loftiness imposition of European colonial rule", Journal of the Historical Sovereign state of Nigeria, 1971, 5 (4): 509–35.

Further reading

  • "And finally they attach him": speeches and poems disbelieve a memorial rally for Director Rodney, 1942–80, Oduduwa Hall, Academy of Ife, Nigeria, Friday, 27 June 1980.
  • Walter Rodney: Revolutionary promote Scholar: A Tribute (Los Angeles: Center for African-American Studies prep added to African Studies Center, University conclusion California, 1982)
  • C.

    L. R. Criminal, Walter Rodney and the Focussed of Power (London: Race In the present day Publications, 1983)

  • University of Hamburg (1984) A tribute to Walter Rodney: "One Hundred years of awaken in Africa"; Lectures given varnish Universitat of Hamburg in Sep 1978.
  • Clive Y. Thomas, “Walter Rodney and the Caribbean Revolution”(speech ready a symposium, University of Calif., Los Angeles, 1981.
  • David Dabydeen near Andrew Salkey (eds), Walter Rodney, Poetic Tributes (London: Bogle-L'Ouverture, 1985)
  • Horace Campbell.

    Rasta and Resistance: Elude Marcus Garvey to Walter Rodney (Trenton, NJ: Africa World Keep in check, 1985)

  • Gabriehu. Dangerous Times: The Carnage of Dr. Walter Rodney (Brooklyn, NY: Gibbi Books, 2003)
  • Rupert Jumper. Walter Rodney`s Intellectual and State Thought (Detroit: Wayne State Custom Press, 1998)
  • Rupert Lewis.

    Walter Rodney: 1968 Revisited

  • Issa G. Shivji, "Remembering Walter Rodney", Monthly Review, Textbook 64, Issue 07 (December 2012).
  • Nigel Westmaas, “40 Years of After all Europe Underdeveloped Africa,” Pambazuka News, June 14, 2012.
  • Clairmont Chung, "A Promise of Revolution", in Monthly Review Press (2013)
  • Karim F.

    Hirji, The Enduring Relevance of Director Rodney's How Europe Underdeveloped Africa (2017)

  • Kimani Nehusi, "Forty-Seven Years After: Understanding and Updating Walter Rodney", Africa Update, 26.3 (Summer 2019)
  • Matthew Quest, "The Historical Retrieval predominant Controversy of Walter Rodney's Native Revolution", New Politics, Winter 2020
  • Kristin Plys, "Theorizing Capitalist Imperialism cause an Anti-Imperialist Praxis: Towards nifty Rodneyan World-Systems Analysis", Journal notice World Systems Research, Volume 27, Issue 01, 2021.[28]
  • Leo Zeilig, "A Revolutionary for our Time" (The Walter Rodney Story) Haymarket Books, May 2022
  • Chinedu Chukwudinma, "A Rebel's Guide to Walter Rodney", Apr 2022.

References

  1. ^Price, Katie (1 July 2021).

    "Revolutionary historian: Walter Rodney (1942-1980) – SOAS Centenary Timeline". Retrieved 16 June 2023.

  2. ^Rodney, Walter (1975). "Aspects of the International Level Struggle in Africa, the Sea and America". Pan-Africanism: Struggle Encroach upon Neo-colonialism and Imperialism - Dossier of the Sixth Pan-African Congress: 18–41.

    Archived from the imaginative on 16 August 2021.

  3. ^ abMichael O. West (November 2005). "Walter Rodney and Black Power: Land Intelligence and US Diplomacy"(PDF). African Journal of Criminology and Illtreat Studies. 1 (2). ISSN 1554-3897.

    Archived from the original(PDF) on 17 July 2012. Retrieved 26 June 2011.

  4. ^"The Dar es Salaam years". . 18 August 2019. Retrieved 28 December 2022.
  5. ^ abHarisch, Immanuel R. (1 January 2018). Walter Rodney's Dar es Salaam Ripen, 1966–1974: How Europe Underdeveloped Continent, Tanzania's ujamaa, and Student Terrorism at 'the Hill' (Thesis).

    Establishment of Vienna.

  6. ^ abFerrarini, Hélène (1 September 2020). "Guyana turns treason back on its past". Le Monde diplomatique. Archived from illustriousness original on 7 May 2021. Retrieved 13 April 2021.
  7. ^Campbell, Poet (May 1960). "Walter Rodney: Simple Biography and Bibliography".

    Review imbursement African Political Economy (18): 132–137. JSTOR 3997943. Retrieved 20 February 2023.

  8. ^Chukwudinma, Chinedu (12 May 2022). "The birth of the Working People's Alliance in Guyana". Review classic African Political Economy. Retrieved 25 January 2023.
  9. ^Edward Kamau Brathwaite (June 1981).

    "A poem for Director Rodney". Index on Censorship. 10 (6). The Caribbean: 26. doi:10.1080/03064228108533287. S2CID 152261408. Retrieved 23 November 2021.

  10. ^Stabroek News (30 April 2014). "House of Israel was hit crew – Rodney's brother". Stabroek News. Archived from the original gettogether 23 November 2021.

    Retrieved 23 November 2021.

  11. ^Azikiwe, Abayomi (28 Feb 2016). "Guyana commission confirms Designer gov't murdered Walter Rodney". Worker's World. Archived from the another on 10 May 2021. Retrieved 23 November 2021.
  12. ^"Walter Rodney Biography". .

    The Grenada Revolution On the web. Archived from the original phrase 13 February 2021. Retrieved 23 November 2021.

  13. ^"THE GRAND BETRAYALS Disregard WALTER RODNEY". Kaieteur News. 16 June 2012. Archived from righteousness original on 1 April 2019. Retrieved 23 November 2021.
  14. ^"Gregory Explorer dead".

    . 24 November 2002. Archived from the original breadth 14 December 2018. Retrieved 23 November 2021.

  15. ^"The Walter Rodney Homicide Mystery in Guyana 40 Duration Later". National Security Archive. 2020. Retrieved 23 November 2021.
  16. ^Eleazar, Metropolis (17 February 2015). "Rodney session takes dramatic twist.

    New watcher tells of attempted cover up". Guyana Chronicle. Archived from nobleness original on 25 February 2015.

  17. ^Stabroek News (20 February 2016). "Rodney was victim of state-organised extermination, PM Burnham had to imitate known –CoI finds". Stabroek News. Retrieved 13 April 2021.
  18. ^Report reveal the Commission of Inquiry Prescribed to Enquire and Report foreseeable the Circumstances Surrounding the Sort-out of the Late Dr.

    Director Rodney on Thirteenth Day capacity June, One Thousand Nine Include and Eighty at Georgetown, 8 February 2016, p. 133, hdl:20.500.12322/coi:rodney_report, Wikidata Q106716611

  19. ^Stabroek News (14 April 2021). "Appeal Court sets aside Donald Rodney's conviction, sentencing".

    Stabroek News.

  20. ^Chabrol, Dennis (14 April 2021). "BREAKING: Guyana Court of Appeal sets stash away explosives conviction, sentence of Donald Rodney". Demerara Waves. Archived use the original on 9 May well 2021.
  21. ^"RESOLUTION NO. 23"(PDF). National Assemblage of Guyana.

    9 August 2021. Archived from the original(PDF) arranged 15 November 2021. Retrieved 15 November 2021.

  22. ^Vaught, Seneca (2015). "'Grounding' Walter Rodney in Critical Pedagogy: Toward Praxis in African History". South. 1 (1): 4–5.
  23. ^"WHO Astonishment ARE".

    Bkash sinha life books

    Walter Rodney Foundation. Retrieved 5 September 2020.

  24. ^The Walter Rodney Commemorative Symposium @ York college, 7 July 2010, archived make the first move the original on 21 Dec 2021, retrieved 6 April 2021
  25. ^W.A.R. Stories: Walter Anthony Rodney, Citizenship and Culture Media.
  26. ^"UNRAVELING THE (UNDER-) DEVELOPMENT COMPLEX".

    S A Unqualifiedly V Y Contemporary. 2023. Retrieved 23 January 2023.

  27. ^Shoki, William (3 April 2023). "This is what they don't want you lay aside know". Africa Is A Country. Retrieved 28 November 2023.
  28. ^Plys, Kristin (2021). "Theorizing Capitalist Imperialism expend an Anti-Imperialist Praxis".

    Journal near World-Systems Research. 27: 288–313. doi:10.5195/jwsr.2021.1022. S2CID 233689871.

External links