Présence Africaine
Nos. 8/9/10

THE FULL ACCOUNT OF THE FIRST INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE OF NEGRO WRITERS AND ARTISTS, held at the SORBONNE, 19–22 September 1956 — the founding event of modern Black international cultural politics, and the single most important item in this collection. Nos. 8-9-10 of the new bimonthly series, June–November 1956, printed as one volume of over 400 pages. ALIOUNE DIOP gives the opening address; L. S. SENGHOR on the spirit of civilisation and the laws of African negro culture; AIMÉ CÉSAIRE on “Culture and colonisation”; FRANTZ FANON on “Racisme et culture”; RICHARD WRIGHT on tradition and industrialization and the plight of the tragic elite in Africa; CHEIKH ANTA DIOP on the cultural contributions and prospects of Africa; JEAN PRICE-MARS on transatlantic African survivals; GEORGE LAMMING on “The Negro Writer and his World”; AMADOU HAMPATÉ BÂ on Fulah culture. Two Nigerians speak: E. L. LASEBIKAN ON THE TONAL STRUCTURE OF YORÙBÁ POETRY and the painter BEN ENWONWU on the problems of the African artist today. The discussions of each session are printed in full, with the closing session, messages and bibliographic notes.