New Books Network Martha Biondi, "We Are Internationalists: Prexy Nesbitt and the Fight for African Liberation" (U California Press, 2025)
Nov 8, 2025
Martha Biondi, a historian and professor at Northwestern University, delves into the impactful life of Prexy Nesbitt, a Black activist from Chicago. They discuss how Nesbitt's early experiences and connections shaped his commitment to African liberation. Biondi highlights the importance of internationalism over Pan-Africanism in Nesbitt's approach. The conversation uncovers the lesser-known solidarity efforts tied to U.S. anti-apartheid movements and critiques the socio-economic dynamics surrounding apartheid's end.
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Dar Es Salaam Turning Point
- Prexy Nesbitt spent his junior year abroad in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania, which launched his lifelong solidarity with African liberation movements.
- That experience embedded him in Southern African networks and shaped his internationalist activism back in Chicago.
Cosmopolitan Chicago Upbringing
- Prexy grew up in a cosmopolitan Chicago household that hosted cultural and political luminaries like Robert Hayden and Paul Robeson.
- His parents encouraged international experiences, sending him to Sweden as a teenager and fostering global ties.
Left-Leaning Liberation Leadership
- Southern African liberation leaders were often socialist-leaning and sought alternatives to colonial capitalism.
- Cuba and other internationalist allies materially supported liberation movements, shaping their socialist orientations.
