The first ideas of Pan-Africanism emerged in the West Indies at the end of the 19th century. The cultural centers of the movement were the major cities of Paris, New York and London, where the first Pan-African conference was held in 1900. The term is not clearly defined, but primarily refers to the solidarity of all African people and people with African, mostly enslaved ancestors, regardless of their ethnicity or nationality. The aim of the movement was to draw attention to discrimination against black people and to improve the political representation of their interests. Pan-Africanism strengthened the first freedom movements, particularly in British colonies. Project a Black Planet: The Art and Culture of Panafrica is now the first museum exhibition to focus on the cultural expressions of Pan-Africanism. The show with around 350 exhibits can be seen at the Art Institute of Chicago from December 15, 2024 to March 30, 2025.
The exhibits date from the 1920s to the present day and were created by artists from four different continents: Africa, North and South America and Europe. Among others, works by Yto Barrada, Simone Leigh, Kerry James Marshall, Abdoulaye Ndoye, David Hammons, Edith Dekyndt, Chris Ofili and Kawira Mwirichia are part of the exhibition. In addition to works of art, books, magazines and ephemera will also be on display, illustrating the complexity and cultural influence of the Pan-African movement.
Pan-Africanism became increasingly widespread over the course of the 20th century and is a recurring theme in influential reggae music and Afrobeat, for example. Hip-hop is also partly influenced by Pan-Africanism. Since the independence of many African countries in the 1960s, more and more Pan-African cultural festivals have been organized, such as the Pan-African Film Festival in Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso, which has been held every two years since 1969.
