Edward Blyden & the Foundations of Modern Pan Africanism

In this session, Dr. Tyrene Wright explored the life, ideas, and impact of Edward Wilmot Blyden, one of the most influential early thinkers of Pan-Africanism. Blyden, often called the Father of Pan-Africanism, was a Liberian statesman, educator, writer, and visionary who shaped many of the ideas that continue to influence Black liberation movements today.

The discussion highlighted Blyden’s belief that African people should have confidence in their own cultural, intellectual, and spiritual traditions. Blyden argued that Africans should not have to “beg for a place in someone else’s world” when they have the capacity to build their own. His most famous work, Christianity, Islam, and the Negro Race (1887), critiqued the psychological impact of Christianity on African societies and uplifted African-centered spiritual and cultural traditions. He also emphasized that Africans must record their own history to reclaim knowledge about themselves and their future.

Audio and video clips shared during the session showed how Blyden’s writings and philosophy influenced later leaders such as Booker T. Washington, W.E.B. Du Bois, and Marcus Garvey. His work contributed to the intellectual foundations of the first Pan-African Conference in 1900 and helped shape modern Pan-African thought.

The podcast excerpt featured in the session underscored Blyden’s legacy as a scholar who challenged colonial narratives and worked toward African self-determination, unity, and cultural pride. Despite disagreements surrounding his views, Blyden’s ideas continue to resonate strongly in contemporary discussions about African identity, liberation, and global solidarity.

Dr. Wright closed the session by encouraging attendees to explore how Blyden’s legacy lives on today — often in subtle ways — through the philosophies, movements, and cultural expressions shaping the modern Pan-African world. His call for African self-knowledge, unity, and cultural reclamation remains a guiding force for activists, scholars, and community members dedicated to the vision of a liberated and united Africa.