Introduction
Although the end of colonialism occurred shortly after the end of World War II, it would be a mistake to assume that the calls for independence by Africans began in the aftermath of the defeat of Nazi Germany and its racism. Demands to liberate Africa from colonial status began at least as early as the end of World War I and the Versailles Peace Treaty. That treaty was based on the ideal of self-determination--the belief that people should decide their own form of government and that world peace hinged, at least in part, on the principle that no people should be ruled by an "outside" group (one not of the ethnic background of the citizenry itself).
Pan-Africanism was the attempt to create a sense of brotherhood and collaboration among all people of African descent whether they lived inside or outside of Africa. The themes raised in this excerpt connect to the aspirations of people, the values of European culture, and the world of African colonies. How do the authors of this statement define the major events of Europe at the time. What do they see as their own role in the future of Africa? What is their evaluation of the bulk of the African population?
