Jeremiah Dibua

This project examines TransAfrica’s efforts at mobilizing Black Americans in influencing American policy toward the racist regimes in Southern Africa and Black dictatorships in Sub-Saharan Africa, from the perspectives of Pan-Africanism and identity politics. It argues that while TransAfrica effectively mobilized Black Americans against the racist regimes, the same was not true regarding Black African dictatorships. The racial essentialism embedded in Pan-Africanism and identity politics greatly constrained TransAfrica’s ability to mobilize Black Americans against authoritarian Black African leaders as exemplified by the cases of Nigeria and Ethiopia. Apart from anecdotal observations, no in-depth empirical study has been conducted to examine these contradictory outcomes of TransAfrica’s mobilizational efforts. This work contributes to filling this gap.