Pan-Africanism and Ethiopia
Letters to newspapers
LETTER 1:
By Theo Jean from Trinidad, to New Times and Ethiopia News, 6th March 1937
“I am descended from African parentage and I claim Africa as my own because my fathers were born there. Because I happen to be born in lands known to be owned by Britain I am called a British subject; nevertheless the place of my birth has not affected my stock. I am all African. Africans at home and abroad are my bone and my flesh, and when anything is done to cause hurt to my bone and my flesh I must publish it abroad. Oh Britain; Britain ! You have given us cause to make use of words to which you are no stranger; “if we had served our God as faithfully as we served you, He would not in our times of trouble have turned His back upon us.”
LETTER 2:
G. Morris Mattavous from Harlem, New York City, "Ethiopia is stretching forth her hands unto god", to New Times and Ethiopia News, March 13th 1837
“I am deeply interested in the Ethiopian trouble. I am a black man, and all black men’s troubles are mine. For as much as the Italians have done these brutal acts to my brothers, they have done it also unto me. The prophecy of the psalmist is now being fulfilled, but we who are the people of Ethiopia, seem to be greatly unaware of this striking hour when god or the powers of the universe is calling us back to our fatherland. We of the western hemisphere most of us did not know anything about Ethiopia. The Emperor of Ethiopia is in England today, not fighting physically, but mentally. We have Dr Malaku Bayen,controller of the Haile Selassie fund, here in Harlem with us. Fellow Africans, this is the day of our gathering, let us arise and answer the call of Ethiopia. How ? By rallying to the cause in every way we can possibly help. These are serious days. This the time for us to demand that Ethiopia be released to her rightful rulers. I think such is our duty and should be the voice of all of us. “
LETTER 3
C. C. Belgrave, a "British West Indian Negro" living in Lucknow, India, "Ethiopia stretches out her hands to god", to New Times and Ethiopia News, 16th January 1937:
“The only sovereign state that was left to the black man was Ethiopia; and it was with some satisfaction that we black men could look at the vast continent of Africa, and at least point to one place on the map where the black man was left to decide his own destiny! This cold hard inhuman attitude which the European powers have assumed towards Ethiopia, has taught us black men that somehow or other, there is a difference in justice. There is one kind of justice for white folk, and another kind for black. We wonder if the European powers still profess to be Christian. If they do, then they seem to have forgotten the golden rule laid down by Jesus of Nazareth for the guidance of all men, irrespective of what race or nation: “Do unto others as you would that they should do to you””. Of all the other Africans whose countries have been filched from them by the European nations, none has suffered as the Ethiopians have suffered, and are still suffering. Nearly eight months have passed since her brave emperor went to Geneva to ask Europe for justice, but Europe had no justice to give a black nation. Ethiopia literally stretches out her hands to god, and we believe he will help her."
By Theo Jean from Trinidad, to New Times and Ethiopia News, 6th March 1937
“I am descended from African parentage and I claim Africa as my own because my fathers were born there. Because I happen to be born in lands known to be owned by Britain I am called a British subject; nevertheless the place of my birth has not affected my stock. I am all African. Africans at home and abroad are my bone and my flesh, and when anything is done to cause hurt to my bone and my flesh I must publish it abroad. Oh Britain; Britain ! You have given us cause to make use of words to which you are no stranger; “if we had served our God as faithfully as we served you, He would not in our times of trouble have turned His back upon us.”
LETTER 2:
G. Morris Mattavous from Harlem, New York City, "Ethiopia is stretching forth her hands unto god", to New Times and Ethiopia News, March 13th 1837
“I am deeply interested in the Ethiopian trouble. I am a black man, and all black men’s troubles are mine. For as much as the Italians have done these brutal acts to my brothers, they have done it also unto me. The prophecy of the psalmist is now being fulfilled, but we who are the people of Ethiopia, seem to be greatly unaware of this striking hour when god or the powers of the universe is calling us back to our fatherland. We of the western hemisphere most of us did not know anything about Ethiopia. The Emperor of Ethiopia is in England today, not fighting physically, but mentally. We have Dr Malaku Bayen,controller of the Haile Selassie fund, here in Harlem with us. Fellow Africans, this is the day of our gathering, let us arise and answer the call of Ethiopia. How ? By rallying to the cause in every way we can possibly help. These are serious days. This the time for us to demand that Ethiopia be released to her rightful rulers. I think such is our duty and should be the voice of all of us. “
LETTER 3
C. C. Belgrave, a "British West Indian Negro" living in Lucknow, India, "Ethiopia stretches out her hands to god", to New Times and Ethiopia News, 16th January 1937:
“The only sovereign state that was left to the black man was Ethiopia; and it was with some satisfaction that we black men could look at the vast continent of Africa, and at least point to one place on the map where the black man was left to decide his own destiny! This cold hard inhuman attitude which the European powers have assumed towards Ethiopia, has taught us black men that somehow or other, there is a difference in justice. There is one kind of justice for white folk, and another kind for black. We wonder if the European powers still profess to be Christian. If they do, then they seem to have forgotten the golden rule laid down by Jesus of Nazareth for the guidance of all men, irrespective of what race or nation: “Do unto others as you would that they should do to you””. Of all the other Africans whose countries have been filched from them by the European nations, none has suffered as the Ethiopians have suffered, and are still suffering. Nearly eight months have passed since her brave emperor went to Geneva to ask Europe for justice, but Europe had no justice to give a black nation. Ethiopia literally stretches out her hands to god, and we believe he will help her."
Psalms 68:31:
"Princes shall come out of Egypt; Ethiopia shall soon stretch out her hands unto God."
This psalms from the Bible was popular amongst peoples of the African Diaspora. Even in the 19th century, Black preachers, intellectuals, rebels and revolutionaries were using this Psalms as a prophecy of Black liberation from slavery, colonialism and racism.
Can you figure out why?
Ask yourself: who might be the Egyptians (think about the story of Exodus); who might be the Ethiopians?
"Princes shall come out of Egypt; Ethiopia shall soon stretch out her hands unto God."
This psalms from the Bible was popular amongst peoples of the African Diaspora. Even in the 19th century, Black preachers, intellectuals, rebels and revolutionaries were using this Psalms as a prophecy of Black liberation from slavery, colonialism and racism.
Can you figure out why?
Ask yourself: who might be the Egyptians (think about the story of Exodus); who might be the Ethiopians?