NEGRITUDE AND A NEW AFRICA AN UPDATE: BY PETER S. THOMPSTON

NEGRITUDE AND A NEW AFRICA, AN UPDATE: BY PETER S. THOMPSTON

(Chapter 31 in the Anthology of African Literature)

A SUMMARY: BY NWANI UCHENNA WILLIAMS

            The negritude movement is now held in low esteem. The reactions of our African writers towards negritude are not heartwarming especially when compared to the past. This is chiefly because their view towards this movement is by some means, contradicting the perception of the earlier writers. Because some oppositionists and critics have asserted that negritude is dead, Senghor and Cesare continued to fan the definition, meaning, and idea of negritude thus, keeping it alive. They are the remnant of the movement. Others include Rene Maran, Ezekiel Mphlele and Abiola Irene. According to them, negritude is the clear recognition of the fact of being black, and the acceptance of the fact of our history, culture and future as black.

         Many writers today are the chief critics of negritude. Some see it as racialism. Europeans see it as an opposition instrument used by Africans against them. Soyinka especially is known for criticizing what negritude has done.

        Meanwhile, we are most attracted to those voices that express the pride and independence of our distinct culture, which seems to the outsider and student - most overt definition for it.