Black star : African American activism in the international political economy / Ramla M. Bandele.

Format:

Book

Author/Creator:

Bandele, Ramla M., 1949-

Language:

English

Subjects (All):

African American businesspeople--History.

African American businesspeople.

African diaspora--History.

African diaspora.

Pan-Africanism--History.

Pan-Africanism.

African American political activists--History.

African American political activists.

Universal Negro Improvement Association--History.

Universal Negro Improvement Association.

Physical Description:

1 online resource (249 p.)

Edition:

1st ed.

Place of Publication:

Urbana : University of Illinois Press, 2008.

Language Note:

English

Summary:

This book describes how the first African American mass political organization was able to gain support from throughout the African diaspora to finance the Black Star Line, a black merchant marine that would form the basis of an enclave economy after World War I. Ramla M. Bandele explores the concept of diaspora itself and how it has been applied to the study of émigré and other ethnic networks. In characterizing the historical and political context of the Black Star Line, Bandele analyzes the international political economy during 1919-25 and considers the black politics of the era, focusing particularly on Marcus Garvey's Universal Negro Improvement Association for its creation of the Black Star Line. She offers an in-depth case study of the Black Star Line as an instance of the African diaspora attempting to link communities and carry out a transnational political and economic project. Arguing that ethnic networks can be legitimate actors in international politics and economics, Bandele also suggests, however, that activists in any given diaspora do not always function as a unit.

Contents:

A new take on an old term : operationalizing the diaspora concept

An exploration of the relevant literature

Still waters : understanding the political economy of the 1920's

Home dock : United States and the BSL

Charting the black Atlantic : the UNIA and its location in African-American politics

Shipping politics : the case of the Black Star Line

Stormy seas : government obstruction of BSL transnational goals

Marooned : the rise and fall of the Black Star Line

Clear waters : implications for the study of diasporas.

Notes:

Bibliographic Level Mode of Issuance: Monograph

Description based on print version record.

Includes bibliographical references (p. 211-220) and index.

ISBN:

9786613097422

9781283097420

1283097427

9780252090455

0252090454

OCLC:

1086957816