Becoming African in America : Race and Nation in the Early Black Atlantic

The first slaves imported to America did not see themselves as "African" but rather as Temne, Igbo, or Yoruban. In Becoming African in America , James Sidbury reveals how an African identity emerged in the late eighteenth-century Atlantic world, tracing the development of "African" from a degrading term connoting savage people to a word that was a source of pride and unity for the diverse victims of the Atlantic slave trade. In this wide-ranging work, Sidbury first examines the work of black writers--such as Ignatius Sancho in England and Phillis Wheatley in America--who created a narrative of African identity that took its meaning from the diaspora, a narrative that began with enslavement and the experience of the Middle Passage, allowing people of various ethnic backgrounds to become "African" by virtue of sharing the oppression of slavery. He looks at political activists who worked within the emerging antislavery moment in England and North America in the 1780s and 1790s; he describes the rise of the African church movement in various cities--most notably, the establishment of the African Methodist Episcopal Church as an independent denomination--and the efforts of wealthy sea captain Paul Cuffe to initiate a black-controlled emigration movement that would forge ties between Sierra Leone and blacks in North America; and he examines in detail the efforts of blacks to emigrate to Africa, founding Sierra Leone and Liberia. Elegantly written and astutely reasoned, Becoming African in America weaves together intellectual, social, cultural, religious, and political threads into an important contribution to African American history, one that fundamentally revises our picture of the rich and complicated roots of African nationalist thought in the U.S. and the black Atlantic. In Becoming African In America, James Sidbury Reveals How An African Identity Emerged In The Late Eighteenth-century Atlantic World, Tracing The Development Of African From A Degrading Term Connoting Savage People To A Word That Was A Source Of Pride And Unity For The Diverse Victims Of The Atlantic Slave Trade. Sidbury Examines The Work Of Black Writers - Such As Ignatius Sancho In England And Phillis Wheatley In America - Who Created A Narrative Of African Identity That Took Its Meaning From The Diaspora, A Narrative That Began With Enslavement And The Experience Of The Middle Passage, Allowing People Of Various Ethnic Backgrounds To Become African By Virtue Of Sharing The Oppression Of Slavery.--jacket. The First Africans -- Toward A Transformed Africa -- An African Homeland? -- Out Of America -- Becoming African In The English Atlantic -- African Churches And An African Nation -- Becoming American In Liberia And The United States, 1820-1830 -- Epilogue: The Fugitive Slave Law Of 1850 And Renewed Assertions Of African Identity. James Sidbury. Includes Bibliographical References (p. 255-275) And Index. Contents......Page 12 Introduction......Page 16 1 The First "Africans"......Page 30 2 Toward a Transformed Africa......Page 52 3 An African Homeland?......Page 80 4 Out of America......Page 104 5 Becoming African in the English Atlantic......Page 144 6 African Churches and an African Nation......Page 170 7 Becoming American in Liberia and in the United States, 1820–1830......Page 194 Epilogue......Page 216 Notes......Page 224 Bibliography......Page 268 A......Page 290 B......Page 292 C......Page 294 E......Page 295 F......Page 296 I......Page 297 L......Page 298 M......Page 299 P......Page 300 S......Page 301 V......Page 303 Y......Page 304 James Sidbury reveals how African identity emerged in the late 18th century Atlantic world, tracing the development of 'African' from a degrading term connoting savage people, to a word that was a source of pride and unity for the diverse victims of the Atlantic slave trade