The Hearts of Darkness: How White Writers Created the Racist Image of Africa is a 2003 non-fiction book by Milton Allimadi.
 | |
| Author | Milton Allimadi |
|---|---|
| Language | English |
| Genre | Social science |
| Publisher | Black Star Books |
Publication date | February 1, 2003 |
| Publication place | USA |
| Pages | 96 |
| ISBN | 978-0974003900 |
The book documents how western writers and publishers have pushed stereotypical and racist images of Africans and African nations.
Publication
editThe book was first published in 2003 and a second 2016 edition added content about the role of NATO in the Second Libyan Civil War.[1]
Synopsis
editThe short book documents racism in the writing of authors, explorers, and aristocrats Samuel Baker, Joseph Conrad, Frederick Lugard, Charles Gordon, Keith Richburg, and Henry Morton Stanley.[2]
The author reports on his conversations with retired editors of The New York Times, National Geographic, and Time magazine.[2]
It documents racial stereotypes in both print and online media.[3] Specifically, it documents and critiques the widespread depictions, most by white writers, but also by Black writers, of barbarism, physical, moral and intellectual inferiority, denial of the positive contributions that Black people have made to culture, arts, science, and descriptions of Africa as inhospitable and uncivilized.[4]
Critical reception
editFrancis Kwarteng, writing in ModernGhana said that Allimadi "should be highly commended for a job well executed."[5]
University of Maryland Eastern Shore's Professor Kathryn Barrett-Gaines praised the book for its brevity and stated it would be the first book that her students of history would be required to read.[2]
Molefi Kete Asante described the book as profound, enlightening, and perceptive.[6]
Impact
editThe book was used to inform various academic papers and publications:
- Ojo, Tokunbo. "Africa in the Canadian media: The Globe and Mail's coverage of Africa from 2003 to 2012." Ecquid Novi: African Journalism Studies 35.1 (2014): 43–57.
- MacCann, Donnarae. "The sturdy fabric of cultural imperialism: Tracing its patterns in contemporary children's novels." Children's Literature 33.1 (2005): 185–208.
See also
edit- 2021 Book by Milton Allimadi Manufacturing Hate - How Africa Was Demonized in Western Media
References
edit- ^ Harlem |, Africa in (2016-08-30). ""The Hearts of Darkness, How White Writers Created the Racist Image of Africa" gets a second edition". African Immigrants, African American New Yorkers in Harlem and Beyond. Retrieved 2022-03-26.
- ^ a b c "Review: Milton Allimadi's "The Hearts Of Darkness...." | Black Star News". www.blackstarnews.com. Retrieved 2022-03-26.
- ^ Nesbitt, Prexy. "A Special Discussion for my History Classes." (2006).
- ^ Between Two Worlds: Jean Price-Mars, Haiti, and Africa. (2018). United States: Lexington Books. p191/192
- ^ Kwarteng, Francis. ""The Hearts Of Darkness" Decodes Western Media's Racism". Modern Ghana. Retrieved 2022-03-26.
- ^ ""The Hearts of Darkness, How White Writers Created The Racist Image of Africa"". Our Time Press. Retrieved 2022-03-26.