How Did Imperialism Affect African Americans

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Another man that describes the European attitude is Wole Soyinka an African man. Soyinka was born towards the end of Imperialism in Nigeria by Great Britain. He describes the attitudes of Europeans toward Africans. Soyinka grew up under Imperialism with the influence of European cultures, such as; religion and education. Soyinka wanted to inform how Imperialism affected Africans. In an interview he states, “I listened to lots of conversations between my father and his intellectual circle, in the direction of the colonial powers, the world was involved, the arrogance of the European nations towards darker skinned races” (Soyinka). This source shows how Europeans felt superior to the people of ‘darker skinned races’ because they were of a higher status, even after Africans had gotten their independence. Africans were under the rule of Europeans who believed themselves superior to Africans. Africans were often referred to as the inferior race by Europeans. The culture of Africans was diminished as the Europeans began colonizing Africa. Soyinka an African that lived towards the end of Imperialism in Africa, states in an interview “in terms of what’s around we lived such a mixed indigenous lives with Christian infusion and it seemed like the most natural thing in the world, it’s a meeting of various cultures” (Soyinka Interview). He grew up with a mixed culture with the influence of Christianity. Christianity was the main European religion and as the European colonized they began converting the people in the colonies into Christianity. This can also be viewed on how Europeans believed themselves superior to them. They believed that they were much better, this included their religion. Africans began adopting European styles in education, religion, and in the style of dressing. Soyinka also dressed in a western style, so he most likely went to an English school. He was most likely educated by Europeans since he is able to speak English. A firm supporter of the negative effects on Africa caused by Imperialism was Richard St. Barbe Baker. St. Barbe Baker was a European member of the Kikuyu tribe. The Kikuyu tribe was an African tribe, located in Kenya. Kenya was a colony of the British that was originally named British East Africa.St. Barbe Baker devoted his life to the saving of trees and created organizations against deforestation. Richard St. Barbe Baker wrote The Story of Kikuyu Chief, to inform Europeans of the changes that are happening in Africa because of Imperialism. It states, “Two of my sons went and only one came back, and he brought only one hand and many strange new ideas and tales.” (St. Barbe Baker). The sons of Kikuyu had left Kenya to go fight in a war. At that war, his sons heard ideas and tales. This shows that Africans are leaving, and when returning, they come back with new European ideas that are part of their culture. His sons were slowly being influenced by the European culture. This source is written by a European in the perspective of an African, Kabongo. However, there is no proof of the existence of Kabongo, so this is a historical fiction source, but this can be a reliable source since St. Barbe Baker was part of the Kikuyu Tribe. This shows a negative effect of Imperialism on Africans. Africans grew up with a mixed culture between their own and the European culture. Little by little their own culture was being forgotten and Africans …show more content…
Kabango a leader of the Kikuyu Tribe in The Story of Kikuyu Chief, states “We elders looked at each other. Was this the end of everything that we had known and worked for? What magic had this on of my father made that he who was not yet and Elder should be made leader over us all who were so much older and wiser in the ways of our people? It was as if a thunderbolt had fallen among us.” (St. Barbe Baker). Europeans went against the customs of Africans in the government. Only elders were allowed to be leaders but the Europeans choose a young person to represent them with the Africans. The elders had lost all of their political power and it was all held by Europeans. They had lost all of their rights over their land in Africa and it was now being controlled by the

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