© 2007 Institute of Current World Affairs
The Institute awards long-term fellowships to develop a deep understanding of an issue, country, or region outside the US and to share that understanding with a wider public.
Institute of Current World Affairs - Home Page

Below is a hobbled text version of a PDF document.
In order to read the actual document please click the link below and register if necessary.
(One-time registration is free and very quick.)
Read article

12/18/1963 - Is Ebony Really an Instrument of Cultural Imperialism? by Charles J. Patterson

NOT FOR PUBLICATION INSTITUTE OF CURRENT WORLD AFFAIRS CJP December IS EBONY REALLY AN INSTR OF University Ibadan CULIMPERIALISb Ibadan Nigeria Mr Richard H Nolte Institute Current World Affairs adison Avenue New York New York Dear Mr Nolte Earlier month I arrived Ghax International Airport first things attract attention black newspaper headline proclaimed EBONY AN INSTRUENT OF I IALIS Startled culture bound reaction couldn financially successful chronicler Negro American achievements aspirations anxieties But InitsissueofNovember22 I63 Th__eS AWeeklyoftheAfrican Revolution examined light announcement publisher planned launch Afr twenty African countries Ghanaian paper voice Ghana radical American magazine severely wanting Its publisher Johnson Publishing Company Chicago proprietor Je__t T__ Dies announced setting sales advertising offices Ebony Africa Paris London New York operating offices English speaking fourteen French speaking African countries The issue periodical February Era Bell Thompson managing editor Ebony appointed editor Ebony Afri within circulation anticipated John H Johnson president publishing house states thatEbAfric___ launched because offers Opportunity expansion because creating better understanding between Americans Africans Ignoring purpose proclaimed Johnson T__heSasked story Whose interest Ebony likely serve Africa For answer Weekly African Revolution turned great Afro American sociologist E Franklin Frazier revealed thatEbis instr ument black bourgeoisie serves purposes first propagation Negro business second creation world believe compensation inferior status keenly black bourgeoisie Thus arges TheS_R Eb efficacious evocation believe serves subvert hinder freedom Struggle AfAmerican people As aring proof Ebony racial perfidy Ghanaian paper cited story recent edition dealt civil rights records American presidents immediate Hoover RooSevelt Truman Eisenhower Truman singled sympathetic Negro American fight civil rights This Truman TheeSangrily pointed asked opinion civil rights march ashington August Underscored opposition march asking inquiringwhite reporter significant question Would daughter marry NegrO This answer su_gestion The contended could racists Dr Verwoerd Roy Welensky Winston Field Harry Truman Johnson champion Afro American cause Now while The objects cause perceives magazine subtle betra AfAmerican struggle opposition African rentree Johnson Publish Company The heart their objection theft Johnson publications never accepted African revolution In opposed African Unity It obvious Africa poison atmosphere Africa Colonialist theories propagate cause disunity Jonson Will devote substandard reading materials propagating cst0mry illusory image America particular belieVes America country impossible slightly attainable difficult There pictres galore American kitchen dazzling porcelain chrome spectacle complete refrigerator disposal which serves Ebony freeze automatic washer drier electric stove monument glory caPitalistic society The Spark added withering indictment John H Johnson would subvert slickand cheap Amer anpropaganda would nvince themanufacrrs rtisers Europe America important sping African opinion ThrouEh Johnson monopolize great advertising revenue To demonstrate alone their suspicions rejection Ebony revolutionary weekly cited resolution passed November Accra Conference Pan African Journalists To protect independence Africa preserve unity rican Press shoul fight against litera invasion Continent Slick magazines other publications subversive nature hiding behind glamour attraction their designs should exposed utterly condemned We should careful publications which preach ham0nY where there disharmony publications Which publish success stories ignore sufferings masses Th_ eSark story while vigorous itsdenuciation centered attack content magazine individual ultimately responsible The editorial going further perceived murky Machiavellian machination behind Eb_on_ AfriCan project addition brand weapon armoury U S imperialism Africa What follows harsh analysis wap0n operate suzEested methols whereby Africa defend itself against Obviously enjoying blessing policy makers State Deartnent financial support U S business setting boldly enslave ofAfrica cheap dazzling propaganda American They impress minds Brighter sideo theaffluentsociety forgettingthatwknowofthe deplorable lifeledby0 millionNegroes USAand forgetting poverty Africa decades c0ntribUtOrY factor affluenc enjoyed imperialist countries today The teiqeof U S imperialism promote interests Irica using American Negroes They staff their information centres withAfro Americans Theyaccommodateafew Afro _ericans their embassy staff They these Negroes ANSAC Operation Crossroads In Peace CorpS Nov areouttouse Negromagazine tocontinuetheir onslaught Africa The whole embrace U S imperialismbyusiasvehiclesforthiswayof Colour ourselves AriCamustawakentothisbletyarcnning Thetth engaged colou rfight thoughtheemancipation kithandkin latform The Afrinn Revolution destroy imperialism whatever chooses operate build place society exploitation We imperialism frightened weakened position Africa every stratagem including parading under black We alternative ferret expose decimate agents agencies iperialism agency The colour Of persons involved shoull deceive We shoot straight imperialism means shooting black This ourselves Intrigued heretofore unexpressed African willingness shoot straight black I sought opportanity Kofi Batsa editor Th_e Sark A mutual friend ProSessor William Abraham Chainaan Department hilosophy University Ghana quicly rranged spend evening Batsa Accra The young editor welcomed winning smile Soft voice courteous manner quick inquiring intellect His ogler visitors included Professor Abraham Indonesian journa official Ghanaian Trade Union Congress famous political refugee Nigeria Samuel Ikokn The conversation rangin animated occassionally bristling concepts guided democracy Nigeria Nigerians colonialism cultural colonialism It during discussion latter Batsa expanded views political Negro Americans He quite clear thatt reason other Africans distrusted Negroes service oftUnitedStates governmentwasbecause their protective coloration Negroes could dangerous enemies looks Perhaps danserous Batsa smiled Afro Americans scholars ostensible connections goverr Behind always shadOW CIA Therefore policy paper aSVlse Africans Americans until somehv proved themselves friends African revolution For Africa eternal vigilance Or other guests oined credentials least evening friendship Professor Abraham price liberty after Kofi Batsa perception achievedby white Americans Negroes Americans therefore other Americans quite willinE their country Such patriotic dedication tandem their protective racial coloration indeed excellent vehicles cultural imperialism Still uncertain character cultural imperialism I pressed Batsa details This substance lengthy analysis In colonial brmer colonial territories cultural situation distressing wherever colonization triumphed indigenous culture deteriorated From deteriorated culture there arises something might described culture It really culture because condemned remain fringes Of Western culture domain small elite group This group dwelling Contrived situation sustaining power masses their genuine culture cannot produce giving culture society traditions people current revolutionary identity instead created immense expanses cultural wastelaud something essentially thing great piles perverted cultural products West slick advertisementS lighteners straighteners A people contend Batsa aggregate individuals They organic whole organism values Those Africans virtue education experience extremely sensitized social spear people The Batsa views summed statement First international Conference Alioune Diop editor PresenCe AfLi Ngro Writers Artists The culture Negro world certain responsibilities purifying morals languages culture which West tends impose whole planet This culture which would truly universal appeal could substance intervention particular cultures In culture immediate future redress errorsand false values introduced urned institutions Europe Unilaterally creative subjectivity whose passionate given tenfold strength whole weight Eopean imperialism If cultul dialogue vhich begins disagreements reaches level innermost reasons living however heroi gigantic cultural experience Europe inevitably tainted aesthetiC plosphicdspiritualerrors shortcomings Ebony found lilty Batsa colleagues instrument imperialism because tainted aesthetic philosphic spirital errors shortcomlngs I amused first described instrument imperialism Our encounter friendly arxist editor steel mindandnononsenseairdissIpatedmyamusement Th__seSwasnotklding their conclusions capricious fetched first glance Batsa Diop firmly based historical experience Africa Wariness Americans Negro otherwise irritation sight gleaming kitchens African rea_ity least reality African masses resentment revenue taken AfriCa perception Of Ebony_ S schizoid position civil rights value complexion sound reasons Of enthusiasm magazine establishment revolutionary Afr That Ebony tainted cannot gainsaid creation group people Who centuries themselves dwelt cultural wastelands fringe Western culture But deliberately employed instrument U S imperialism Bosh Sincerely y0urs My thoughts point amous model kitchen encounter between Richard Nix0n Nikita shchev Received New York Deember