Early African Nationalism and Pan-Africanism

The Western -educated elite who led the early nationalist movements were moved by Pan-African sentiment, and demanded justice for all Africans rather than focusing on particular ethnic groups or nations. To unite people under one umbrella, nationalists had to appeal to factors that Africans had in common. In a continent marked by its diversity, this proved difficult. In Sub-Saharan Africa, nationalists often relied on a common religion, such as Christianity or Islam; common languages, often the language of the colonizers, like English or French; shared history and culture; and economic interests. In North Africa, Pan-Islamic nationalism worked towards the unity of all Muslims into a single Islamic empire, while a second group of nationalists believed that independence could only succeed through secular ideas and methods.

Early resistance to colonialism had been local and violent, demonstrated by uprisings like Maji-Maji in Tanzania (see Maji-Maji article). But African nationalists between 1919 and 1935 concentrated on reforming, rather than overthrowing, the colonial system. Associations, political movements and parties, trade unions, and independent churches helped nationalists to achieve their ends by participating in rebellions, strikes, and boycotts; protesting through literature and petitions to the government; and evading tax or migrating.

Early nationalism transformed after World War II from a movement for the elite to a movement for the masses. Africans who had fought alongside Europeans realized that their colonial conquerors could be defeated. Italy's invasion of Ethiopia, the last African country that remained independent, produced great anger and bitterness among Africans who would later be leaders in Independent Africa. Kwame Nkrumah, for example, the first president of independent Ghana, prayed when he heard the news of Ethiopia's fall that he would be one of the people who caused the colonial and imperial system to die. After the war, India became independent -- one more reason for Africans to join the nationalist movement.

Pan-Africanism and early nationalism led the way to modern independence movements and mass demonstrations against colonial rule.

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