Edward Wilmot Blyden | |
|---|---|
 Blyden c. 1887 | |
| Born | 3 August 1832 |
| Died | 7 February 1912 (aged 79) |
| Nationality | Liberian |
| Occupation(s) | Educator, writer, diplomat, politician |
| Known for | "Father of Pan-Africanism" Liberian ambassador and politician |
| Spouse | Sarah Yates |
| Partner | Anna Erskine |
| Children | Pay'ton Blyden |
Edward Wilmot Blyden (3 August 1832 – 7 February 1912) was an Americo-Liberian[1] educator, writer, diplomat, and politician who was primarily active in West Africa. Born in the Danish West Indies, he joined the waves of black immigrants from the Americas who migrated to Liberia. Blyden became a teacher for five years in the British West African colony of Sierra Leone in the early twentieth century.[2] His major writing were on pan-Africanism, which later became influential throughout West Africa, attracting attention in countries such as the United States as well. His ideas went on to influence the likes of Marcus Garvey, George Padmore and Kwame Nkrumah.[3]
Blyden was recognised in his youth for his talents and drive; he was educated and mentored by John P. Knox, an American Protestant minister in Sankt Thomas who encouraged him to continue his education in the United States. In 1850, Blyden was refused admission to three Northern theological seminaries because of his race.[4] Knox encouraged him to go to Liberia, a colony set up for free people of color by the American Colonization Society. Blyden emigrated in 1850 and made his career and life there. He married into a prominent family and soon started working as a journalist. Blyden's ideas remain influential to this day.[5]
- ^ Peter, Mark; da Silva, Horta (2018). "Chapter One: No witness to bear? The settlement of Jews along the west coast of Africa". Homelands and Diasporas: Perspectives on Jewish Culture in the Mediterranean and Beyond. Cambridge Scholars Publishing. pp. 2–16. ISBN 978-1-5275-0783-8. Originally published by Cambridge Scholars Publishing (2018).
- ^ Lynch, Hollis. "EDWARD WILMOT BLYDEN: PAN-NEGRO PATRIOT FROM THE CARIBBEAN". New World Journal. 1V (1). Retrieved 12 July 2023.
- ^ Cite error: The named reference
:0was invoked but never defined (see the help page). - ^ Blyden, Ruth (27 October 2007). "Blyden, Edward Wilmot (1832-1912)". Blackpast.org. Retrieved 28 June 2024.
- ^ Conyers, James (2009). "Edward Wilmot Blyden and the African Personality: A Discourse on African Cultural Identity". Racial Structure and Radical Politics in the African Diaspora. Routledge. pp. 143–160. doi:10.4324/9781315127972-8. ISBN 978-1-315-12797-2. Retrieved 12 July 2023.