Turning Points in Pan-Africanism: CLR James

In this lecture and conversation, we discuss how instrumental C.L.R. James’ was in transforming Pan-Africanism from a localised practice in the diaspora to a social, political and economic movement on the continent.  

Through examining a selection of his texts, we explore how his prioritising of political cooperation on a global scale instead of promoting racial insularity in Black liberation movements added another layer to Pan-African unity.

Through understanding the Trotskyist ideologies of C.L.R. James and the historical context which he was steeped in, we can trace his impact on Pan-Africanism as it transitioned from theories of Black identity in the diaspora to definitive political action that centered on the continent.