~-· " " THE ? AMON~ fHE CONTINENTS AGGREYS OUTES To 1!1 froiD America First Cmnmission ........................ ·····-··· ............ Second , . ------·------------ . AGGREY. OF AFRICA·. ~11¥-IIMIW: A Handbook ol the Da Langoagc.. llobc:rt Moffat, Ooc of God'a Ganleoera. "'bb: GoJdeo StooL The Cu:istian Mission in Africa.. The Way ol the White Fadda in Rhodesia. Fl.llll glimpa iQ Africa:' .. An Anthology.:. The. Shrloc: ol • People'~ . SouL • • .•• . .. TbC Secn:t ol ~ Mricm. ' . r. ~~~~- .,;tiJ"C4pltlill • 0 A.n.k:. • . '~ IJa..spcaking Pcopb · - ol Nortbem Rhodcsi2'1 • ~(a ,:C,Js.). : :·, .' AGGREY OF AFRICA A STUDY IN BLACK AND WHITE BY EDWIN W. SMITH Alllhor of " Tht Go/Jm Stool," &t. LONDON STUDENT C~RIS~ MOVEMENT 3z RUSSELL SQUARE, W.C.x 1919 · F;,sl ptlblisblll May, 1929 Made and printed in Great Britain by THB GAilDBN ern PIU!ss LTD., l.BTCHWOBTH, HBBTS PREFACE. HE initiative in preparing this biography was taken by the Phelps-Stokes Trustees who had drawn Aggrey Tinto wider service by appointing him a II}ember of the Education Commission to Mrica. When they invited me to write it I responded with alacrity. I was convinced, as they were, that the remarkable story of my friend's life should be told to the world, chiefly because of what he was in himself and also because of the light it throws upon problems which vex our minds in these days. I feared at first that the materials mlght prove in­ sufficient, but the help of numerous coadjutors removed this apprehension by providing 'me with an almost embarrassing volume of letters and notes. I wish to record my thanks to all who have assisted me. Mt. Norman Young; one of the masters at the Prince of Wales' College, Achimota, kindly made investigations into Aggrey's early years and sent me extensive notes which I have embodied in chapters ii, iii and iv. Principal Fraser allowed me access to his circular letters written from Achimota~ answered many inquiries and read the typescript of Part IV. Sir Gordon Guggisberg permitted me to interview him and also read through Part IV. The Rev. Dennis Kemp wrote me an accoun~ of Aggrey's early life on the Gold Coast, lent me letters .and read through Part I. Among other correspondents in Africa I must thank particularly the Revs. H. M. Grace and E. S. Daniell o.f Uganda ; Mr. Dougal, Principal of the Kabete College m Kenya ; Canon Spanton, late of Zanzibar ; Dr. Hetherwick, late of Nyasaland; the Rev. L. P. Hardaker, of Southern Rhodesia ; Dr. and Mrs. Wilkie, of the Gold Coast ; Dr. C. T. Loram and Principal Hen­ derson, of South Africa. All these };lave given me much v vi PREFACE information, and Dr. Loram read through chapter xi. Mrican gentlemen have also helped me ; I may name Mr. K. L. B. Kisosankole, of Uganda, and Mr. de Graft Johnson, of the Gold Coast. During a tour which the Phelps-Stokes Trustees enabled me to make in the United States, I gathered much material from Aggrey's friends, both white and coloured. I am especially grateful to Dr. Anson Phelps Stokes, Professor Giddings, Mr. L. Roy, Dr. W. J. Trent, and Mr. T. B. Patterson. Mrs. Aggrey entertained me in her home, endured in the kindest way my prolonged ques­ tioning, and allowed me to read a great number of her husband's letters. She has also read through the entire manuscript. I have abundant reason for being grateful to my friend Dr. Jesse Jones for all the interest he has taken in the book ; he organised the collection of material, supplied many documents, answered my questions, and read through all the chapters. At every stage of the work I have enjoyed the expert assistance of my friend Miss Gollock. · I ou~ht to add that none of my correspondents is responsible for statements which I make, for opinions which I express. It has been my endeavour to set Aggrey's life against its Mrican and American background. Many historical and other references which might seem out of place in some biographies are here necessary if Aggrey is to be understood. I have had no desire to paint an idealised picture, but have striven rather to portray Aggrey as he was-a very human being. I leave it to readers to draw the moral of his life. I would here only point out that this story must give pause to such writers as Dr. McDougall, who declares that the Mrican race " has never produced any individuals of really high mental and moral endowments, even when brought under foreign influences," and adds : " it would seem that it is incap­ able of producing such individuals."* * Tb1 Group Millll, p. 136. PREFACE vii Arrangements have been made by the Phelps-Stokes Fund by which the royalties on this book will be paid to the widow of Dr. Aggrey for such use as may seem to her advisable in connection with the education of her children and the advancement of the cause which Dr. Aggrey had so much at heart. EDWIN w. SMITH. Walton-on-Thames, April Jlh, 1929. TO THE AGGREYS THAT SHALL BE CONTENTS PAGII BIOGRAPHICAL TABLE - xi PART I THE AFRICAN CRAP. I. THE MAN '3 II. ANTECEDENTS AND BIRTH - IS m. EARLY YEARs - - 2.7 IV. AIMING HIGHER - 41 PART IT IN AMERICA' V. STUDENT AND PROFESSOR AT LIVINGSTONE­ - S7 VI. HoME LIFE - 67 VII. " LITTLE OF EVERYTHING " -, 8x VIII. AT CoLUMBIA UNIVERSITY - 100 PART Ill THE INTERPRETER IX. BLACK AND WHITE - 117 X. THE FIRST CoMMISSION - - 143 . XI. IN SoUTH AFRICA - - 164 XII. IN AMERICA - - xss XIII. THE SECOND CoMMISSION - 2.03 PART IV AT ACHIMOTA-AND AFTER XIV. THE GENESIS OF ACHIMOTA XV. TorL AND SuccEss - XVI. THE HoME-GOING - ix LIST OF. ILLUSTRATIONS }AMES EMMAN KWEGYIR AGGREY frontispiete Da. AGGREY, ms MOTHER, AND OTHER MEMBERS OF THE FAMILY- - jtKingpage z.6 THE BOYS IN THE REv. DENNis KEMP's HOUSE READY FOR THEIR DIP IN THE SEA - " DR. AGGREY AND A YOUNG ENGLISH FRIEND. Miss ABNA · AGGREY AND ORisoN. Da. AGGREY AND THE REv. A. G. FRASER- " DR. AGGREY INSTALLED AS KYIAME AT ANAMABU , IJ4 Sxa GoRDON GuGGISBERG AND THE STAPP OF PRINCE OF wALES' CoLLEGE, ACHIMOTA - z.z6 " Da. AND MRS. AGGREY WITH SIR 0PoRI ArrA AND MEMBERS OF ms RETINUE " WHERE Da. AND Mas. AGGREY LIVED IN AccRA - " APTER THE OPENING OF ACHIMOTA BY THE GoVERNOR " MAP- end-paper X: BIOGRAPHICAL TABLE 1875 Oct{)ber 18 Born at Anamabu, Gold Coast. 1883 June 24 Baptised. Entered Methodist school, Cape · Coast. 1888 Entered Dennis Kemp's House. 1891. Assistant teacher, Cape Coast. 1896 His father's death. December Interpreter, Ashanti expedition. Headmaster, Cape Coast. July IO Departs to America. October Entered Livingstone College; Salis­ bury. Graduated B.A., Livingstone College Registrar and Professor. 1903 November 30 •• Ordained Elder, Zion Methodist Church. 1904 July First classes, Columbia University. 1905 November 8 Married Miss Rose Douglas. A.M., Livingstone College. D.D., Hood Theological Seminary. 1914 November Became Pastor, Miller's Chapel and Sandy Ridge. July Recommenced studies at Columbia. July Entered Columbia University as matriculated student. 1920 July 3 Sailed from U.S.A. on first Phelps- Stokes Commission. September In Sierra Leone and Liberia. Oct. 4-Nov. 4·. In Gold Coast. Nov. 4-Dec. ~ In Nigeria. December 16-25 In Cameroon. January 1-25 .• In Belgian Congo. Jan. 27-Mar. 10 In Angola. Mar. 19-June x6 In South Africa. July· zz Students' Conference, Swanwick. October International Missionary Council, Mohonk. xii BIOGRAPHICAL TABLE I9.2.I Re-entered at Columbia University. 192.2 · June •. First tour in Canada. October Teachers' diploma and M.A., Columbia. December Third tour in Canada. Passed examinations for Ph.D., Columbia. December 31 • • Student Volunteer Movement Con­ vention, Indianapolis. 1924' January s Sailed from U.S.A. on second Phelps- Stokes Commission. Jan. 29-Feb. 6 •• In Abyssinia. Feb. I 8-Mar. 9 •• In Kenya. March Io-23 •• In Uganda. [April s •• Foundation stone laid of Achimota.] Mar. ,5o-Apr. Is In Tanganyika Territory and Zanzi- bar. Apr. 22-June I3 In Nyasaland and Rhodesia. June I6-2o In South Mrica. July· Appointed on the staff of Achimota. October Is Arrived on the Gold Coast. April • • The Prince of Wales at Achimota. July Sailed for America on leave. November Returned to Gold Coast with Mrs. Aggrey. February Kindergarten opened at Achimota. January z8 Formal opening of Achimota. May Sailed for England and America. July·30 Died at New York. PART'! THE AFRICAN "Mrica-my Mrica." " I am proud of my colour ; whoever is not proud of his colour is not fit to live." "I have no time for revenge-that's not Mrican." cc I am a debtor to all men, to all civilisations, to world­ Christianity, and to all kinds of educational programmes." " I am a brand plucked from fire. I am a humble product of the self-sacrifice of those who came out to the White Man's Grave." •• We often sing Heber's ~es: The heathen in his blindness ' Bows Jow11 to WOOalllla JtOIII, In his blindness? No-in his hunger." "With my people, it is not so much what you say as how you say it, and who does the saying." cc To my people one c let 111 do' is worth more than a thousand 'you must do's.' Africa is a child, but our paternalists fail to observe that this child is growing. They also forget that in many instances it is more important to work with than to work for." ]. E. K. Aggrey. AGGREY OF AFRICA CHAPTER I THE MAN "THE man's a saint; damn his colour I" A group of settlers in East Mrica were desirous of seeing and hearing this visitor of whom everybody was talking.