American philanthropy and African education: African students in the metropolis in the 1960s

Abstract

Most memoirs written by the sons and daughters of African immigrants make reference to how the pursuit of education in America provided an impetus for the ‘reverse middle passage’ that their parents (usually, indeed, their fathers) undertook in the 1960s. A quick perusal of biographies and autobiographies of Africans who came to the United States demonstrates that the vast majority of them who made the journey did so with the help of either American philanthropic foundations or the American government. These students, who varied tremendously in background, point of view, and political orientation, were united by one thing – a dream of a better life. Few of them were aware of the political machinations that underwrote the construction of their fellowships. Most were blissfully unaware of how invested the United States government was in putting their own stamp on the people they would become. Their stories are instructive, therefore, for illustrating the power of African diaspora networks in the metropolis for providing these migrants with a sense of community and a connection to collective struggles at home which kept them from becoming political and ideological puppets, carrying out the mandate of their American benefactors.

Keywords:

• philanthropy
• African education
• African diaspora
• African students