The Father of Pan-Africanism
A highly respected African intellectual, Edward Wilmot Blyden (Aug. 3, 1832–Feb. 7, 1912) was the father of Pan-Africanism. He was also an educator, writer, diplomat and politician.
In 1881, Blyden gave his inaugural address as the new president of Liberia College. He discussed his vision for independent African colleges and wanted them to create a new generation of educated African youths.
During his time as an educator and college president, he fought a war that he called the “decolonization of the African mind.” This was a process to get students away from focusing on white colonization and getting them more focused on their own African heritage.
