Abstract

Contrary to popular views the Afrocentric paradigm of thinking as a vehicle for social change is not a twentieth century phenomenon. In fact, the first practical conceptualization of the possibilities of Afrocentric thought can be traced back to the nineteenth century writings of Edward Wilmot Blyden. It is within the corpus of Blydenic philosophy that we find the first holistic attempt to analyze and address the issues facing the African race from an Afrocentric perspective. ;Blyden's life and activities are examples of the African's resistance not only to physical enslavement, but to intellectual enslavement as well. Eurocentric historiography has consistently marginalized Blyden's significance in African history by focusing on his failures rather than his successes. On the other hand, Afrocentric historians have greatly neglected Blyden's place in African history and his significant contribution to the advancement to Afrocentric discourse. ;Between 1850 and 1912, Edward Wilmot Blyden was the best known African personality in the world. It was during these years that Blyden responded to the Europeanization of the African consciousness and destruction of African cultural institutions based on the primacy and centrality of African history and culture. Prior to the rise of Marcus Mosiah Garvey, Blyden's philosophy was the first attempt to redefine the African political, social, educational, economic, and religious universe from the Afrocentric perspective