Africa's " History "
SIR,—In Mr. Thomas Hodgkin's otherwise most interesting article in your issue last week, he mentions that my recent book on Africa opens with the statement that it is " a continent without a history." He claims, therefore, that I am " merely following the old tradition of putting the foreigner in his place by attacking his pedigree." I must regretfully claim that he is unjust.
The Oxford Dictionary defines history as " a written narrative con- stituting a continuous methodical record." There is nothing derogatory to the Africans in calling attention to the fact that they have no such record. Had Mr. Hodgkin read Struggle for Africa with any care he would have realised that I emphasised this lack of written history, and of architectural indications of it, for two reasons. One, because it is one of the most striking and obvious facts about Africa. Two, because I hope to encourage more Africans to show more pride in their own past, since I believe that " civilisation . cannot be grabbed ready-made from people of another race and continent." It was for that reason that I called attention, for example, to the " admirable effort " of the Institut de l'Afrique Noire, in French West Africa.
I would nevertheless like to thank Mr. Hodgkin for his fascinating reminder of the influence which this growing African interest in African history may exercise on present-day frontiers and politics.—Yours
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