African Independence

Colonial Africa African colonies operated under the principle of “Africa for the Afrikaner (white African)” South Africa: Apartheid, legal system of separation and discrimination Rhodesia: Blacks forbidden to grow most profitable crops Kenya: Blacks forced to carry special ID cards and pay extra taxes Across Africa, blacks forced to work in mines and harvest cash crops leading to famine

Colonial Africa Europeans practiced “divide and rule,” encouraging rivalries and jealousies between African ethnic groups to preserve their own power Europeans invested little in education, medical care, infrastructure-anything that would benefit black Africans

You may travel through the length and breadth of Kenya and you will fail to find in it any enterprise, building, or structure of any sort which the government has provided…for the direct benefit of the natives. If we left tomorrow, the only permanent evidence of our occupation would be the buildings we have erected for our tax collectors. British Native Commissioner of Kenya, 1925

Pride and Nationalism Grow Pan Africanism-The belief that the people of Africa and the African diaspora share a common heritage, and that Africa is rightfully theirs Negritude-Movement among French speaking Africans emphasizing pride in African culture Over 1 million Africans fight for colonial nations in World War I, increasing pride and self determination

Resistance In the 1920s, the British government in Nigeria tried to place a tax on Nigerian women, who were exempt from taxes in traditional society The resulting protests crossed ethnic boundaries and spread across Nigeria Known as the Nigeria Women’s War, led to increased rights and power for women

Resistance In Kenya, the Kiyuku Central Association forms, representing the voice of Kenya’s largest ethnic group The Mau Mau rebellion saw former Kenyan landowners violently rebel against the British colonizers

Resistance South Africans formed the African National Congress to protest against the Apartheid government Apartheid confiscated black land, segregated all public institutions, paid blacks less, denied blacks education, etc.

Independence After World War II, weakened European powers reluctantly withdraw from Africa By the 1970s, colonial powers are completely gone Thanks to colonial borders, most countries are a patchwork of ethnicities, languages, and religions In former colonies with large white populations, conflict between whites and blacks begins Dictatorship, influence by foreign corporations common