REPLY: Ayittey and B. Davidson

Mel Page (PAGEM@ETSUARTS.EAST-TENN-ST.EDU)
Wed, 3 May 1995 08:23:47 GMT-5

Date sent: Tue, 02 May 95
From: Harold_G.Marcus, Michigan State University
<22634MGR@msu.edu>

My African and African American students loved Ayyitey as an
authentic voice, but disliked Appiah's *My Father's House* because it
destroyed some of the myths about Africa which they cherish. The
other students liked Ayyitey, found Appiah dense, regarded Davidson
as a conventional text.

All loved Headrick as explaining the real reasons for imperialism in
Africa; and Hama Tuna, the *Socialist Witchdoctor*, because he showed
the absurdity of socialism and thought control in Africa. They
enjoyed Vansina as showing the ontogeny of African studies/history.

The class comprised 51 students, mostly junior and seniors, and they
were mostly history/education/sociology majors.