Africanus Horton
Encyclopedia
Africanus Horton also known as James Beale, was a Creole
African nationalist writer and an esteemed Medical Surgeon in the British Army from Freetown, Sierra Leone.
Africanus Horton was a surgeon
, scientist
, soldier
, and a political thinker who worked toward African independence a century before it occurred.
Born as James Beale Horton, the son of an Igbo
recaptive slave he was educated at the CMS Grammar School and at the Fourah Bay Institution (later Fourah Bay College
).
In 1853, he received a War Office scholarship to study medicine in Great Britain. He studied at King's College London
and Edinburgh University, qualifying as a medical doctor in 1859. While a student, he took the name "Africanus" as an emblem of pride in his African homeland
In his varied career, he served as a physician
, an officer in the British Army
, a banker, and a mining entrepreneur. In addition, he wrote a number of books and essays, the most widely remembered of which is his 1868 Vindication of the African Race, an answer to the white racist
authors emerging in Europe. His writings look ahead to African self-government, anticipating many events of the 1950s and 1960s, and Horton is often seen as one of the founders of African nationalism
.
He wrote a book titled West African Countries and Peoples (1868). A crater on Mercury is named after him.
origin. Marietta died at age twenty two and Horton then on May 29, 1875 went on to marry Selina Beatrice Elliot (1851–1910) daughter of John Bucknor Elliot who was the manager of the Western Area of Freetown
. The Elliots were a Nova Scotian settler family of African American
descent.
Sierra Leone Creole people
The Sierra Leone Creoles, or Krios, are an ethnic group in Sierra Leone, descendants of West Indian slaves from the Caribbean, primarily from Jamaica; freed African American slaves from the Thirteen Colonies resettled from Nova Scotia; and Liberated Africans from various parts of Africa...
African nationalist writer and an esteemed Medical Surgeon in the British Army from Freetown, Sierra Leone.
Africanus Horton was a surgeon
Surgeon
In medicine, a surgeon is a specialist in surgery. Surgery is a broad category of invasive medical treatment that involves the cutting of a body, whether human or animal, for a specific reason such as the removal of diseased tissue or to repair a tear or breakage...
, scientist
Scientist
A scientist in a broad sense is one engaging in a systematic activity to acquire knowledge. In a more restricted sense, a scientist is an individual who uses the scientific method. The person may be an expert in one or more areas of science. This article focuses on the more restricted use of the word...
, soldier
Soldier
A soldier is a member of the land component of national armed forces; whereas a soldier hired for service in a foreign army would be termed a mercenary...
, and a political thinker who worked toward African independence a century before it occurred.
Born as James Beale Horton, the son of an Igbo
Igbo people
Igbo people, also referred to as the Ibo, Ebo, Eboans or Heebo are an ethnic group living chiefly in southeastern Nigeria. They speak Igbo, which includes various Igboid languages and dialects; today, a majority of them speak English alongside Igbo as a result of British colonialism...
recaptive slave he was educated at the CMS Grammar School and at the Fourah Bay Institution (later Fourah Bay College
Fourah Bay College
Fourah Bay College is the oldest university college in West Africa. It is located atop Mount Aureol in Freetown, Sierra Leone...
).
In 1853, he received a War Office scholarship to study medicine in Great Britain. He studied at King's College London
King's College London
King's College London is a public research university located in London, United Kingdom and a constituent college of the federal University of London. King's has a claim to being the third oldest university in England, having been founded by King George IV and the Duke of Wellington in 1829, and...
and Edinburgh University, qualifying as a medical doctor in 1859. While a student, he took the name "Africanus" as an emblem of pride in his African homeland
In his varied career, he served as a physician
Physician
A physician is a health care provider who practices the profession of medicine, which is concerned with promoting, maintaining or restoring human health through the study, diagnosis, and treatment of disease, injury and other physical and mental impairments...
, an officer in the British Army
British Army
The British Army is the land warfare branch of Her Majesty's Armed Forces in the United Kingdom. It came into being with the unification of the Kingdom of England and Scotland into the Kingdom of Great Britain in 1707. The new British Army incorporated Regiments that had already existed in England...
, a banker, and a mining entrepreneur. In addition, he wrote a number of books and essays, the most widely remembered of which is his 1868 Vindication of the African Race, an answer to the white racist
Racism
Racism is the belief that inherent different traits in human racial groups justify discrimination. In the modern English language, the term "racism" is used predominantly as a pejorative epithet. It is applied especially to the practice or advocacy of racial discrimination of a pernicious nature...
authors emerging in Europe. His writings look ahead to African self-government, anticipating many events of the 1950s and 1960s, and Horton is often seen as one of the founders of African nationalism
African nationalism
African nationalism is the nationalist political movement for one unified Africa, or the less significant objective of the acknowledgment of African tribes by instituting their own states, as well as the safeguarding of their indigenous customs...
.
He wrote a book titled West African Countries and Peoples (1868). A crater on Mercury is named after him.
Personal life
Horton married on two different occasions while living in Freetown; he first married Fanny Marietta Pratt, daughter of the prominent Pratt family of IgboIgbo people
Igbo people, also referred to as the Ibo, Ebo, Eboans or Heebo are an ethnic group living chiefly in southeastern Nigeria. They speak Igbo, which includes various Igboid languages and dialects; today, a majority of them speak English alongside Igbo as a result of British colonialism...
origin. Marietta died at age twenty two and Horton then on May 29, 1875 went on to marry Selina Beatrice Elliot (1851–1910) daughter of John Bucknor Elliot who was the manager of the Western Area of Freetown
Freetown
Freetown is the capital and largest city of Sierra Leone, a country in West Africa. It is a major port city on the Atlantic Ocean located in the Western Area of the country, and had a city proper population of 772,873 at the 2004 census. The city is the economic, financial, and cultural center of...
. The Elliots were a Nova Scotian settler family of African American
African American
African Americans are citizens or residents of the United States who have at least partial ancestry from any of the native populations of Sub-Saharan Africa and are the direct descendants of enslaved Africans within the boundaries of the present United States...
descent.
Further reading
- Oxford Biography Index Number 101061022
- Fyfe, Christopher. Africanus Horton Centenary'African Affairs, London: (1983); 82: 565
- "Africanus Horton: The Dawn of Nationalism in Modern Africa". Extracts from the Political, Educational and Scientific Writings of J.A.B. Horton M.D., 1835-1883 by Davidson Nicol. London: Longman Inc, 1969