Jolie Afandi

"Primitive" Liberation: American Perceptions of African Independence, 1957-1962 Jolie Afandi

What was the image of Africa in America during the 1950s and 1960s, and how did these perceptions impact the the formulation of US foreign policy toward the African nations? This work endeavors to approach these queries in a comparative and thematic manner. The examination of historiographic secondary literature on American images of Africa is explored. The role of African nationalism is examined and its impact on US policy development toward African nations. This work concentrates on the analysis of popular media sources and governmental documents between 1957 and 1962, an important period of African history where independence from colonial powers brought African aspirations to the world stage. The resources researched in this book include American mainstream media, African-American media and US governmental publications. How did the perceived images reported within these groups compare and did they impact on the formulation of American policy toward Africa? Were there any significant transformations within the American perceptions that had a discernable effect on the American policy toward the new and emerging African nations?