By: Edwin Wilson

Edwin Wilson — Tue, 15 May 2012 12:32:24 +0000

The Wretched of the Earth’ was my introduction too Frantz Fanon and it was part of a study group that met every Wednesday evening at the Know Bookstore in Durham, North Carolina…I must admit that it took awhile for it to sink in; an it was nothing too complex about the book to me…I dont know why we were not actively enthuse because we didn’t have a elder that could fill us in on the intricacy of the struggle in Algeria…just call us wet behind the ears’…Now this was probably late seventies and even though I has a course in high school call BlackStudies they did not get into the African realm and what was taking place in the motherland…I went to France in those days and walking around a port city called Boulogne…I stroll into a small Bakery Shop and ask for some bread and I got some French cheese to go with it…I had my hands on the table when this guy that was cutting the cheese all of a sudden he slammed that Butcher- knife near my hand and yell at me…I was overcome with fright and compose myself yelling you crazy son of a bitch and he drew the knife back and I cussed him while walking out and getting the hell out of that area…I told some people near the port and some guy said you look Algerian, he may have been a former solider that served in Algeria and be carefull they have found Algerians dead, murdered by former French solider’s …that when I got a glimpse into the history of France’s colonial occupation with a subject colony that didn’t want to be a part of it any longer….and from ” The Wretched of The Earth ” Fanon book, I was able to piece together some of the horrors of French occupation…that’s also when the importance of “The Wretch of The Earth” became very clear to my understanding…Edwin

Comments on: Classic book: The Wretched of the Earth

By: Edwin Wilson