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No Easy Victories: African Liberation and American Activists over a Half Century, 1950-2000

 Edited by William Minter,
Gail Hovey, and Charles Cobb Jr.
Published by Africa World Press.
Order through this website at $25.50 (15% discount)!
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Reviews

Apr 18, 2008 - David Hostetter in H-SAfrica
" Publication of this book comes at a moment when a leading contender for the American presidency is the offspring of one of the Kenyan students who studied in the United States through the efforts of the African-American Student Foundation directed by ACOA activist Cora Weiss. Barack Obama's first foray into political activism, which he recounts in his autobiography, came when he spoke at an anti-apartheid demonstration during his undergraduate days. "
Mar 29, 2008 - Wim Bossema in De Volkskrant - Dutch | English
"Probably more Americans than ever are doing something for Africa. ... Many African immigrants are active. ... Solidarity between Africa and the United States is not going away. "
Jan 30, 2008 - Gerald Horne in H-SAfrica
"This is a remarkable and often insightful collection of essays and reflections ... It belongs in every library in Africa--and, most of all, in South Africa. Still, in its very strength it exposes an entire realm of research that has yet to be completed."
Jan 23, 2008 - Gerry Canavan in Independent Weekly
"Most of all the book is a testament not to the influence of politicians or nation-states but to the power of individuals themselves, to the everyday activists and nongovernmental organizations who made and continue to make an impact in the struggle for liberation across the globe."
Winter 2007/2008 - Bill Bigelow in Rethinking Schools
"Unearths a too-often-neglected history of grassroots U.S. solidarity and anti-racist activism. Short sections that focus on individual activists are easily excerpted for classroom use."

Review Resources compiled by Bob Peterson, Bill Bigelow, Deborah Menkart, and Lauren Cooper.

Rethinking Schools Online

[Included in notice of film] "Have You Heard from Johannesburg?" Directed by Connie Field, (California Newsreel, 2007), 89 min.]

Have You Heard from Johannesburg? tells the inspirational story of the anti- apartheid movement in the United States. These days, with South Africa pushed off the headlines, too many of us seem to have forgotten the African American-led grassroots movement that transformed U.S. foreign policy, and contributed to comprehensive sanctions against the apartheid regime. This is a film that trumpets the message: People make history. Although the film starts slowly and begins with a PBS-like talking-head feel, when it launches into the story of the Free South Africa Movement, it offers viewers a stirring lesson in the power of social justice activism.

A book that makes a nice companion to the film is No Easy Victories: African Liberation and American Activists Over a Half Century, 1950-2000, edited by William Minter, Gail Hovey, and Charles Cobb, Jr. (Africa World Press, 2008; $29.95). Like Have You Heard from Johannesburg?, No Easy Victories unearths a too-often- neglected history of grassroots U.S. solidarity and anti-racist activism. Short sections that focus on individual activists are easily excerpted for classroom use.


This page is part of the No Easy Victories website.