The black icon as propaganda

The poster above was published in 1960 in the USSR and reads “African peoples will curtail their colonizers!”. At the time, several countries in Africa were fighting for their independence from colonial powers and the Soviets sought to capitalize on these revolutions. After World War 2, countries like Algeria were sought after by the soviet world powers who wanted to raise allies given their involvement in the cold war. The poster stands as an example of the “black icon” that Claude Mckay mentions. It is interesting to see this poster in light of the Mckay reading, which discusses how he was exoticized when visiting Moscow as the first black man after the revolution took place.

The history of Soviet intervention in Africa over the 20^th century stands as a testament to Mckay’s account of Moscow, his words on lack of representation for the black man and his appeal as a token colored person for leaders of the international communist parties would make anyone who saw this poster question what it really means for Africa to decolonize. For the Soviet propagandists the Africans are simply allies in their struggle for success; just as the American labor are simply allies, their desire for a legal American communist party overrun by their better financed Finnish and Russian counterparts. Just as the Young Communists did not actually want to hear Mckay’s honest interpretation of the American communist movement, but rather hear about their imminent triumph, this poster seems to call for African support in the cold war, not for the decolonization of the people of this exploited continent.

It is not to say that the soviet desire for Africa, the military and financial support they provided, did not assist in their colonization. Or to say that the imperialist regimes treat their inhabitants of color more humanely; for the exoticization of African peoples and culture dominates capitalist propaganda just as much, if not more. The example of Muhammad Ali gives us insight into the token appreciation that the imperialist powers of the west have for people of color, as long as it does not stand in the way of their political and economic gain. In the 1960s, he was touted as the champion of the world and celebrated despite his insistence on his faith and his race. His words were heard by many political elite in America and the west, yet none were moved to support the struggle of his people.

The black man in the 20^th century has stood in western culture as an icon of resilience and spirit, yet in the west, whether under a capitalist or communist regime, he has faced and continues to face systematic and institutional oppression alongside a hypocritical celebration of African culture and history when it is needed for economic and political gain. As Mckay predicted, “the whites will want to tell us what is right for our people even against our better thinking” and certainly, the whites have ensured that what they decide, is what is implemented, even in a postcolonial world.

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