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BOOK REVIEW  LYNCH

which authorized Delany's expedition to the Yorubas of Western Nigeria. Delany's book tells of both the events leading up to the expedition, and of some of his African experiences as well. Campbell, a young Jamaican chemist, went out to West Africa as Delany's assistant. His book, the better-written and organized of the two, is confined to his African experiences. After visiting Liberia and other parts of the West African coast, they spent several weeks touring Western Nigeria. Finally on December 27, 1859, they signed a treaty with the Egba rulers (the Egbas are a sub-group of the Yorbuas) assigning to them "on behalf of the African race in America the right and privilege of settling in common with the Egba people..."

Delany and Campbell returned to the United States in December 1860 determined to press on with their West African plans. But the outbreak of the Civil War dealt a blow to their grand schemes: black American leaders agreed that it was their duty to support the North with the goal of destroying slavery. Interestingly though, Campbell and his family did return to Lagos, Nigeria, in 1862, where until his death in the 1880's he was a highly respected figure. Delany who became a Major during the Civil War and a School Principal in Charleston during the early years of Reconstruction had by 1878, when it had become clear that most black Americans would not be permitted to practice their new-won political and civil rights, again turned his thoughts to Africa and repatriation. But by then he was without physical and financial means to implement his desire. 

Since the time of Delany and Campbell the combination of discrimination in the United Stats and pride in their African heritage has caused such other outstanding black leaders as Henry McNeil Turner, W.E.B. Du Bois, Marcus Garvey and George Padmore to foster a pan-Negro identity. Contrary to popular belief, Afro-American interest in Africa has been long and sustained. 

Hollis R. Lynch

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