Portal:Pan-Africanism/Selected biography/3
Edward Wilmot Blyden | |
|---|---|
 c 1860s, London | |
| Born | 3 August 1832 |
| Died | 7 February 1912 (aged 79) |
| Nationality | Liberian |
| Other names | Eddy, Ed |
| Citizenship | Danish West Indies |
| Occupation(s) | educator, writer, diplomat, politician |
| Known for | "Father of Pan-Africanism" Liberian ambassador and politician |
| Spouse | Sarah Yates |
| Partner | Anna Erskine |
| Children | Pay'ton Blyden |
Edward Wilmot Blyden (3 August 1832 – 7 February 1912) was an educator, writer, diplomat, and politician primarily in Liberia. Born in the West Indies, he joined the free black immigrants from the United States who migrated to the region. He taught for five years in the British West African Colony of Sierra Leone in the early 20th century. His writings on pan-Africanism were influential in both colonies. These were founded during the slavery years for the resettlement of free blacks from Great Britain and the United States.
Blyden's writings attracted attention in the sponsoring countries as well. He believed that Zionism was a model for what he called Ethiopianism, and that African Americans could return to Africa and redeem it. He believed political independence to be a prerequisite for economic independence, and argued that Africans must counter the neo-colonial policies of former colonial powers.