Make It Plain

Freedom! You askin me about freedom. I’ll be honest with you. I know a whole more about what freedom isn’t than about what it is, ’cause I’ve never been free. I can only share my vision with you of the future, about what freedom is Before my daughter was born we were struggling to find a name. All of my siblings, and my children have African names, legacy of my Pan-African parents and the politics that shaped me.

The Afrikan thinkers and intellects who dare question the foundations and intents of Christianity are usually blamed for thinking too much. Thinking itself is blamed for being ungodly, and in the worst cases; thinkers have been killed for opposing Christianity as demonstrated by history.

This piece is an attempt to demonstrate the inseparable dialogue between the past, present, and future, and how anti-Black racism is continuously and legally embedded within the structures of South Afrikan governance through the existence of taverns in the Black townships of South Afrika.

The Afrikan thinkers and intellects who dare question the foundations and intents of Christianity are usually blamed for thinking too much. Thinking itself is blamed for being ungodly, and in the worst cases; thinkers have been killed for opposing Christianity as demonstrated by history.

During a press conference at the Elysée Palace in January 2024, the French president, Emmanuel Macron, expressed concern at France’s declining fertility rate. He said, “Our France will also be stronger by relaunching its birth rate. Until recently, we were a country for which this was a strength… It’s been less true in recent years.” He then announced a “demographic rearmament” plan to combat declining fertility.

Trigger warning: descriptions of sexual violence and assault In writing this article, the author in no way means to convey the impression that Indians were merely passive victims. On the contrary, they actively resisted at virtually every stage of their oppression. Indeed when independence was gained it was due to their actions as opposed to their ruler’s benevolence as is commonly stated.

Trigger warning: mention of sexual violence and assault In writing this article, the author in no way means to convey the impression that Indians were merely passive victims. On the contrary, they actively resisted at virtually every stage of their oppression. Indeed when independence was gained it was due to their actions as opposed to their ruler’s benevolence as is commonly stated.

When discussing Black radicalism and liberation, one might quickly refer to the American civil rights movements, the Montgomery Bus Boycott, or the Black Panther movements. At a stretch maybe the work of Marcus Garvey (let alone Amy Jacques Garvey) may be mentioned or Kwame Ture. But what about Britain? It had its lane of radicals and organizations such as the United Coloured People’s Association (UPCA) and the Black Women’s Mutual Aid (BWMA) that attempted to resist capitalism and colonialism.

On 27 September 2023, as part of the “Knowledge Is Power” program at BSix Sixth Form College (London) in collaboration with Weyland McKenzie-Witter, they held a session at the Marx Memorial Library in Clerkenwell, East London, to explore their fascinating Paul Robeson collection and resources. Led and guided by Weyland, they anticipated a deep dive into the life and legacy of this remarkable figure. A 17-year-old (at the time of submission) student, Sumaya Omar wrote this review of the session.