INTERNATIONAL SOLIDARITY: CABRAL'S LEGACY TO THE AFRICA-AMERICAN COMMUNITY

In: Latin American perspectives: a journal on capitalism and socialism, Band 11, Heft 2, S. 67-80

Abstract

WITH THESE WORDS AMILCAR CABRAL AFFIRMED THE NECESSITY FOR BLACK PEOPLE FIGHTING AGAINST CAPITALISM AND RACISM TO SEE THE CONNECTING LINKS BETWEEN THEIR STRUGGLES WHEREVER THEY MIGHT BE IN THE WORLD. AS ONE OF THE WORLD'S OUTSTANDING POLITICAL THEORETICIANS ON THE NATIONAL LIBERATION STRUGGLE AND AS A REVOLUTIONARY PRACTITIONER, CABRAL CONSIDERED INTERNATIONAL SOLIDARITY NOT ONLY TO BE THE PROVISION OF CONCRETE MATERIAL AND POLITICAL AID TO THE ARMED STRUGGLE BUT TO INCLUDE THE STRUGGLE AGAINST INJUSTICE IN ONE'S OWN COUNTRY. DURING THE 1970S HE WAS ONE OF THE FIRST LEADERS OF THE NATIONAL LIBERATION STRUGGLE TO TALK WITH AFRICANAMERICANS ABOUT THE STRATEGY AND TACTICS OF ARMED STRUGGLE IN GUINEABISSAU AND CAPE VERDE. WHENEVER HE CAME TO THE UNITED STATES, HE ASKED TO SPEAK INFORMALLY WITH MEMBERS FROM THE ACTIVIST COMMUNITY ABOUT THE STRUGGLE AGAINSDT PORTUGUESE COLONIALISM. ONE OF HIS MOST IMPORTANT THEORETICAL WORKS ANALYZING THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN THE NATIONAL LIBERATION STRUGGLE AND THE QUEST FOR IDENTITY AND DIGNITY WAS DELIVERED ON THE OCCASION OF HIS RECEIVING AN HONORARY DOCTORATE DEGREE FROM LINCOLN UNIVERSITY, A PREDOMINATELY BLACK SCHOOL.