Heroic Imperialists in Africa : The Promotion of British and French Colonial Heroes, 1870–1939

Imperial heroes embodied the symbolic implementation of the colonial project and performed a highly mythologized meeting between conquerors and conquered. They were a crucial element of the 'European encounter with Africa' that took place as part of the Scramble for Africa. The book explores systematically the multiple outlets through which heroes of the British and French empires were celebrated, how their reputations were made over several decades and who sustained them. It looks at the general socio-cultural and political trends prevalent in Britain and France, and considers micro-economic tendencies and technological developments in the cultural industry that the development of legends revolving around imperial heroes. The book allows the reader to grasp the variety of print and audiovisual media, genres and formats through which meanings were conveyed, allowing imperial heroes to reach a 'public presence'. Two major aspects invested imperial heroes with a role in society. First is the use of their image as political argument or their own political roles. The other is the values that they embodied through their own personal dedication above and beyond the call of duty. The book presents the micro-histories of the making of the legends surrounding the figures of Major Jean-Baptiste Marchand and the Sirdar Kitchener. It details how a war correspondent George Warrington Steevens, and a publisher, Blackwood and Sons, converted the fall of Khartoum to market 'With Kitchener to Khartoum' as patriotic writing. From David Livingstone to Charles de Foucauld, from Pierre Savorgan de Brazza to General Gordon, from the 'Sirdar' Kitchener to Jean-Baptiste Marchand, imperial heroes came to captivate the imagination of their contemporaries. These standard-bearers of the 'civilising mission', armed with Bible or rifle, often both, became widely celebrated in their metropoles, with their exploits splashed across the front pages of the penny press, inspiring generations of biographers, painters and, later, film-makers. Coinciding with the advent of 'New Journalism', they embodied the symbolic implementation of the colonial project and performed a highly mythologised meeting between conquerors and conquered, nurturing imperial pride. Berny Sèbe explores in comparative perspective the ways in which heroes of the British and French empires in Africa were selected, manufactured and packaged from the height of 'New Imperialism' until the Second World War. He uncovers the media processes and publishing stories behind the legends of a dozen imperial heroes on both sides of the Channel, offering a comprehensive analysis of a phenomenon which was at the heart of popular imperialism. For all their now-transparent biases and shortcomings, these icons of a bygone age provide us with a fascinating insight into the mechanisms of hero-making in late nineteenth and early twentieth-century Britain and France. They also throw light upon the imperial mind-set, and the story of the interests they served help explain why their epic legends permeate - perhaps even to this day - national identities From David Livingstone To Charles De Foucauld, From Pierre Savorgan De Brazza To General Gordon, From The 'sirdar' Kitchener To Jean-baptiste Marchand, These Standard-bearers Of The 'civilising Mission', Armed With Bible Or Rifle, Often Both, Became Widely Celebrated In Their Metropoles, With Their Exploits Splashed Across The Front Pages Of The Penny Press, Inspiring Generations Of Biographers, Painters And, Later, Film-makers. ... Berny Sèbe Explores In Comparative Perspective The Ways In Which Heroes Of The British And French Empires In Africa Were Selected, Manufactured And Packaged From The Height Of 'new Imperialism' Until The Second World War.--page 4 Of Cover. Part I. Contexts. The Emergence Of A New Type Of Hero : British And French Contexts -- Imperial Heroes And The Market I : The Printed World -- Imperial Heroes And The Market Ii : The Audiovisual World -- Part Ii. Uses. Imperial Heroes And Domestic Politics -- Cross-channel Entente? : The Values Embodied By Imperial Heroes -- Part Iii. Case Studies. The Creation Of The Marchand Legend, 1895-1906 -- George Warrington Steevens, Blackwood Publishers And The Making Of With Kitchener To Khartoum. Berny Sebe. Includes Bibliographical References And Index. Also Available In Print Form. Electronic Reproduction. Manchester, Uk: Manchester University Press, 2015. Mode Of Access: World Wide Web. System Requirements: Web Browser. Access May Be Restricted To Users At Subscribing Institutions. Mode Of Access: Internet Via World Wide Web. In English. Front matter Dedication Epigraph Contents List of figures List of tables General editor’s introduction Acknowledgements Abbreviations and conventions Introduction Part I Contexts The emergence of a new type of hero: British and French contexts Imperial heroes and the market I: the printed world Imperial heroes and the market II: the audiovisual world Part II Uses Imperial heroes and domestic politics Cross-Channel entente? The values embodied by imperial heroes Part III Case studies The creation of the Marchand legend, 1895–1906 George Warrington Steevens, Blackwood Publishers and the making of With Kitchener to Khartoum Conclusion Biographical sketches Index From the height of ‘New Imperialism'until the Second World War, three generations of heroes of the British and French empires in Africa were selected, manufactured and packaged for consumption by a metropolitan public eager to discover new horizons and to find comfort in the concept of a ‘civilising mission'. This book looks at imperial heroism by examining the legends of a dozen major colonial figures on both sides of the Channel, revisiting the familiar stories of Livingstone, Gordon and Kitchener from a radically new angle, and throwing light on their French counterparts, often less famous in the Anglophone world but certainly equally fascinating. 'Essential reading for all students and scholars of colonial history. Sèbe is sensitive to the very different French and British contexts of the individuals he presents, but the overall impact of his study lies in its insightful delineation of the phenomenon of "celebrity colonialism". This book constitutes a timely intervention in debates about the complex interactions between European and African histories.' -- Charles Forsdick, University of Liverpool In this superbly researched and elegantly written book, Sèbe has opened a vital new chapter in the cultural history of empire, and also helped to explain why it was often so difficult to control headstrong "men on the spot". And by comparing the practices of this "hero-making" industry in Britain and France, he has made an important contribution to the wider scholarship on Europe's imperialisms.' -- John Darwin, University of Oxford This book looks at imperial heroes from behind the legends of a dozen major colonial figures on both sides of the Channel, revisiting the familiar stories from a radically new angle. It demonstrates how their reputations were made over several decades, and depicts the milieus and individuals who supported, and benefited from, these heroic stories. The recently released book is thoroughly recommended. It provides new insights into the European colonial and press history and shines through the diversity of its sources, is clearly structured and written pleasantly. 'Undoubtedly a highly significant and elegantly written work.' -- Thomas Sharp, Oxford Brookes University, War in History 24 (1) 'Brilliantly combines the history of mentalities and quantitative history to reveal the mediated nature of, and political alchemy behind, these figures at the heart of the "imperial mindset" of Britain and France.' -- Jacques Frémeaux, University of Paris-Sorbonne 'Berny Sèbe has written an original and imaginative work. This stimulating and resourceful book penetrates the reality of myth-building in the colonial era.' -- Wm. Roger Louis, University of Texas at Austin