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Africa’s Literary Community is Lending Its Voice to Calls for Justice for George Floyd

A man sits under a graffiti depicting African-American man George Floyd, who died in Minneapolis police custody, at the Kibera slum of Nairobi, Kenya, June 4,2020.REUTERS/Baz Ratner TPX IMAGES OF THE DAY

As a demonstration of solidarity with the Black Lives Matter movement, over 100 prominent African writers have lent their names to the fight against racial injustice. The statement was signed by Lola Shoneyin, convener of the Nigeria’s popular Ake literary festival, Egyptian journalist Mona Eltahawy, Zimbabwean author NoViolet Bulawayo as well as Scottish/Sierra Leonean writer, Aminatta Forna, condemned the murder of George Floyd, police brutality, and systemic racism in the US. The stance of solidarity from African writers, will likely ultimately ineffectual, follows a rich history of African writers being vocal about civic rights issues, especially on the continent.

SOURCE: QUARTZ AFRICA

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