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UC San Diego UC San Diego Electronic Theses and Dissertations Title “Be(Long)ing: New Africanism & South African Cultural Producers Confronting State Repression in an Era of Exile” Permalink https://escholarship.org/uc/item/1bf4g88d Author Boston, Martin Luther Publication Date 2019 Peer reviewed|Thesis/dissertation eScholarship.org Powered by the California Digital Library University of California UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA SAN DIEGO “Be(Long)ing: New Africanism & South African Cultural Producers Confronting State Repression in an Era of Exile” A dissertation submitted in partial satisfaction of the requirements for the degree Doctor of Philosophy in Ethnic Studies by Martin Luther Boston Committee in charge: Professor Dayo F. Gore, Chair Professor Kirstie Dorr Professor Ivan Evans Professor Sara Clarke Kaplan Professor Roshanak Kheshti Professor Daniel Widener Copyright Martin Luther Boston, 2019 All rights reserved. The Dissertation of Martin Luther Boston is approved, and it is acceptable in quality and form for publication on microfilm and electronically: Chair University of California San Diego 2019 iii TABLE OF CONTENTS Signature Page ................................................................................................................... iii Table of Contents............................................................................................................... iv List of Figures......................................................................................................................v Acknowledgments ............................................................................................................. vi Vita..................................................................................................................................... ix Abstract of the Dissertation .................................................................................................x Introduction..........................................................................................................................1 Chapter 1: “Belonging Nowhere: Sophiatown to Sharpeville and The Makings of Exile”.............................................................................................................................25 Chapter 2: “Prelude To Departure: King Kong and Come Back, Africa, the Opening Act” .....................................................................................................................72 Chapter 3: “Armed Propaganda: How Radio Freedom Fought Apartheid from Exiled Barracks” ............................................................................................................. 119 Chapter 4: “Citizens of Africa: Cultural Exiles In and Out the West” ............................161 Epilogue...........................................................................................................................212 Works Cited .....................................................................................................................224 iv LIST OF FIGURES Figure 1: An outhouse at the Liliesleaf farm, known as room number 4, used for storage and making photocopies. On the right one can see Miriam Makeba’s Coca-Cola advertisement. Courtesy of National Archives of South Africa (NASA).....................................................................................................................1 Figure 2: This drawing depicts a scene from the third short story of Todd Matshikiza’s April 1959 “With the Lid Off” short story column for Drum. It is not clear who the artist of this drawing is. Courtesy of BAHA Archives, Johannesburg .....................................................................................................................47 Figure 3: “Sophiatown Defiance, 1955” by Jurgen Schadeberg shows an example of “WE WONT MOVE” written on a building in the background while three people converse in the foreground. Courtsey of BAHA Archives, Johannesburg .....................................................................................................................54 Figure 4: “A Statement Prepared for the Opening of a Women’s Programme on Radio Freedom – Lusaka Broadcast on the 13th March, 1980.” 13 Mar. 1980. Box 27, Folder 4. ANC Lusaka Mission Mayibuye, ANC DIP 1980- 1981. Liberation Archives–University of Fort Hare, Alice, South Africa ......................150 Figure 5: President’s Giant Cigarettes Ad featuring Miriam Makeba from page 44 of the May 1960 issue of Drum Magazine. Courtsey of BAHA Archives, Johannesburg ...................................................................................................................193 v ACKNOWLEDGMENTS First and foremost, I would like to thank my chair, Dr. Dayo F. Gore, who was so gracious with her expertise, her time and her guidance throughout my graduate studies, and while I completed this project. I would like to thank my committee members, Dr. Roshanak Kheshti, Dr. Daniel Widener and Dr. Ivan Evans, for your time consulting me on this project, giving me feedback and writing letters for me. Thank you, Dr. Kirstie Dorr and Dr. Sara Clarke Kaplan, for always encouraging me and keeping me focused on the task at hand. Though not on this dissertation committee, I must also give a warm thank you to my friend and 2008 MA Advisor at Washington State University, Dr. David Leonard, for his never-ending support of me and my work. Dr. Leonard always has my back. Without any of these scholars and mentors, this dissertation would not be possible. I was fortunate to receive funding from several sources that was vital to my ability to conduct the research and provided the time to focus on writing that was necessary to completing this dissertation. I would like to thank the Friends of the International Center, the International Institute, the Institute of Arts and Humanities, the Ethnic Studies Department and the Black Studies Project, all organizations at UC San Diego that gave me financial awards to conduct my research. I also received an award to conduct research through the UC Consortium for Black Studies in California at UCLA, as well as awards from the Omega Psi Phi Fraternity, Inc., 12th District, without which this work would not be possible. Lastly, I would like to thank the University of California Office of the President (UCOP) for the honor of receiving their 2017- 2018 Dissertation Year Fellowship, which gave me a year to focus on writing my dissertation and is one of the major reasons I was able to finish this project. With the generous support of the awards listed above, I was able to take several research trips to South Africa. I would like to thank the staff and archivists at the Liberation Archives at vi the University of Fort Hare in Alice, especially Ike, Sinazo and Lunga, the great staff at the Mayibuye Archives at the University of the Western Cape in Cape Town, and Bongi at the Bailey’s African History Archive (BAHA) in Johannesburg for all of the help you provided me with acquiring the materials necessary to complete this dissertation. Thank you to my copyeditor Aaryn Belfer. Though I gave her limited time, she really took this dissertation to another level with her thorough read and her exceptionally critical eye. I would also like to thank the brilliant Dr. David Coplan for being a mentor to my project, allowing me to use his office to write while I was in South Africa and for continuing to support my work. To the Department of Ethnic Studies at UC San Diego, including the exceptional staff, my brilliant graduate colleagues and our prestigious faculty, thank you for being a supportive intellectual community that fostered an environment of rigorous study and academic productivity. I would be remiss if I didn’t thank my 2012 admit cohort who served as a sounding board for my early research questions and my Coffee Bean posse writing group, Dr. Maisam Alomar, Dr. Mohamed Abumaye and Dr. Crystal Roxana Perez, who were truly invaluable readers, thinkers and critics of my project allowing it to reach levels I never dreamed possible. In this vain, I also would be remiss if I didn’t thank Dr. Mychal Odom who was a great friend and peer mentor as I developed this project. I conclude these acknowledgements thanking my friends and family. First, during my time working on this dissertation, I’ve met some of the greatest friends and colleagues of my life. Thank you Hardy, Sithabile, Mandla, Cola, Kirsten, Leole, Rafick, Cory, Sunshine and everyone else in South Africa who has played a part in making this dream a reality. To the greatest fraternity in the world, the Omega Psi Phi Fraternity, Inc., especially the 12th District and the chapters I’ve been a part of, including Chi Alpha Alpha Chapter, Sigma Iota Chapter and Phi vii Omicron Chapter, thank you for always reminding me that scholarship is paramount. Brothers Tim Waters and James Walker, as well as my dean Fred Shavies and line brothers Wale Dada, Brandon Moore and MK Bruce, in particular, I must thank for your support as I’ve navigated this rewarding and trying time in my life. Having friends from my days as a college track athlete, my graduate program at Washington State University, my childhood in the East San Francisco Bay Area, and friends I’ve met through mutual friends and on the basketball courts around San Diego and the Bay, it is impossible for me to thank you all individually here but know you were critical in keeping my spirits high as I completed this journey. And before I forget, the soundtrack I wrote to