Book Launch: Voices from the Chilembwe Rising
Witness Testimonies made to the Nyasaland Rising Commission of Inquiry, 1915, edited by John McCracken.
The British Academy, the Scotland Malawi Partnership and the School of Divinity, University of Edinburgh, invite you to an event celebrating the launch of Voices from the Chilembwe Rising: Witness testimonies made to the Nyasaland Rising Commission of Inquiry, 1915, edited by John McCracken.
Venue: Martin Hall, New College, Mound Place,
Edinburgh EH1 2LX
Date: Tuesday 2 February 2016
Time: 5.30 p.m
About the Chilembwe Rising:
The Chilembwe (or Nyasaland) Rising of January 1915 is one of the most fascinating episodes in the history of resistance in southern Africa.
A small-scale event, suppressed within a few days, the rising has been described as the only significant rebellion in the whole of Africa prior to the First World War to be inspired by Christianity. Its leader, John Chilembwe, a Baptist minister trained in the USA, is nowlauded in official circles as Malawi’s first nationalist, and his image is depicted on the country’s banknotes.
The book contains a comprehensive selection of the verbatim and written evidence presented to the Commission of Inquiry set up to examine the causes of the Rising. Witnesses included a substantial number of Malawians, among them Presbyterian ministers and teachers, government clerks, businessmen, chiefs and headmen.
Together with colonial officials, missionaries and settlers, including five European women, theirs are the voices of the Chilembwe Rising.
Event details:
Welcome by Professor Paul Foster, Head of the School of Divinity, University of Edinburgh
Introduction by Dr Jack Thompson, School of Divinity, University of Edinburgh
‘Voices from the Chilembwe Rising’ by Dr John McCracken, Honorary Senior Research Fellow, University of Stirling
Launch of the book by Professor Malyn Newitt, Chair of the Fontes Historiae Africanae editorial Committee
The launch will include a wine reception.
