The Black Atlantic Modernity And Double Consciousness

In the book titled, The Black Atlantic: Modernity and Double Consciousness, author David Gilroy, focused on the issue of modernity through the various experiences of Africans across various locations such as Africa, the Caribbean, and Europe. Gilroy also highlighted many intellectual contributors to the discussion, which included Fredrick Douglas, Donald Byrd, W.E.B. DuBois and Richard Wright. His approach to the diaspora study differed from the typical, but did incorporate personal stories from those who experienced it themselves. While focusing on the various components of the work including nationalism, race, music, double consciousness and the understanding of Afrocentrism, Gilroy hopes that through his research, â€Å"the history of the†¦show more content†¦Some of them were influenced by other forms of political ideology such as Marxism, communism and other ways of thinking, which as he called it â€Å"evades those specific labels and with them all fixed notions of n ationality and national identity† (Gilroy 19). However, the author did point out that these influences were somewhat of a mistake to one’s people as pointed out by another intellectual named Martin Delany. Delany believed that this change, which occurs from travel, creates a romanticized view of what nationalism and race should be. It then leads them to have misconceptions on the process of how to uplift their people and improving their nation. This was recognized later on by Wright who separated himself from communism in the later 1940s. At first he believed Marxism was the key to helping in the racial struggle that African Americans faced. He later changed his mind, after learning how the ideology under Stalin’s regime, and fascism were â€Å"absolutistic systems, whose brutality and rigor will make the present day systems seem like summer outings†(Gilroy 166). Another important theme in Gilroy’s work was music and its associations with the Afric an diaspora. Gilroy mentioned in the book â€Å"Black Americans were sustained and healed and nurtured by the translation of their experience into art above all in the music† (Gilroy 78). In the case of jazz and other forms of African music, Gilroy believed it created a sense