EMANCIPATION, on August 1, 1838, is perhaps the single most important event in the history of African-Guyanese. It ushered in major changes in the lives of not only Afro-Guyanese, but also of the entire society. One of the most obvious and significant changes was demographic. ‘Themes in African-Guyanese History’ is too massive a book to be explored in a short review, but the above extract, taken from the introduction, is a worthy place to start an appreciation of the magnitude and scope of this book.  And the editors ensured the reading was not a difficult task by stating clearing their intention in the opening sentence of the book’s introduction.
This book focuses on some of the major developments in the history of African-Guyanese, from the time of their arrival in what were then the Dutch colonies of Essequibo and Berbice in the first half of the 17th Century to the present-day.
That story is divided into four easy-to-follow parts, namely, ‘Pre-Emancipation Period’, ‘Post-Emancipation Period’, ‘Pre-Independence Period’, and ‘Post-Independence Period’. Well written essays dealing with each period were organised in a seemingly chronological order.
So, in the ‘Pre-Emancipation Period’, there are five essays in the following order: ‘The Societies of Western Africa on the Eve of the Atlantic Slave Trade’, written by Alvin O. Thompson; ‘The African Slave Trade to Guyana’, written by Winston F. McGowan; ‘Slave Society during the Dutch Regime’ by Thompson; ‘The Berbice Revolt, 1763-64’, by Thompson; and ‘The Demerara Revolt, 1823’ by McGowan, all of which were designed to trace the movement of the enslaved Africans from places of origin; enduring the atrocities of the sea voyage; enduring the belittling period of forced labour, and the struggle to free themselves in uprisings that were partially successful in the short instance, but had enormous influence and telling consequences in the upshot.
To support the above position, the book elucidated the position that the enslaved Africans were “not uncivilised barbarians, as some European writers assumed and asserted. Rather, they were members of societies which had been distinguished by significant achievements. They were, therefore, able to make a valuable contribution to the land to which they were taken against their will after a traumatic journey across the Atlantic.”
In the ‘Post-Emancipation Period’, Brian L. Moore examined ‘The Social and Economic Subordination of the Guyanese Creoles after Emancipation’, and ‘African-Guyanese Political Disempowerment during the Nineteenth Century’; while James G. Rose looked at ‘The Strikes of 1842 and 1848’; and Carl A. Braithwaite explored ‘The African-Guyanese Demographic Transition: An Analysis of Growth Trends, 1838-1988’.
The essays in this section are designed to show the various challenges of the African-Guyanese after Emancipation, and how those challenges were handled: Sometimes successful; other times with less than expected results.
In the third part of the book, ‘Pre-Independence Period’, the essays talk about numerous social changes taking place in the fields of labour and politics, and how African-Guyanese had become embroiled in the situation of the period. Kimani S. Nehusi wrote about ‘[the] Causes of the Protest of 1905’ and the ‘Development of Political Organisation up to 1953’. Hazel M. Woolford dealt with ‘Origins of the Labour Movement’, and ‘Women in Guyanese Politics, 1812-1964’.  The ‘Coming of the Crown Colony Government in1928’ was very significant to this period, and this was dealt with by James G. Rose.
And the fourth part of the book, ‘Post-Independence Period’, is very important to the subject of the history African-Guyanese in particular, and to the history of Guyana in general. Although there are only two essays in this section authored by the same person, Clive Y. Thomas, there is much to ponder.
This is what the introduction says about the first essay in the last section of the book, ‘State Capitalism in Guyana: An Assessment of Burnham’s Cooperative Socialist Republic’:
“African-Guyanese hoped and expected that Independence would serve to enhance their lot. This optimism was understandable, for the ruling party …was led by African-Guyanese; but these hopes and aspirations…did not materialise.”
And this is how the final essay, ‘The Situation of African-Guyanese in the Economy’, is summed up in the introduction:
“After over three decades of Independence, there has not been any significant improvement in the economic conditions of many African-Guyanese. In fact, their plight is one of the disturbing features of modern Guyana.”
Those four parts of the book, ‘Themes in African-Guyanese History’, are supplemented by a preface to the reprinted edition, an introduction, maps, charts, illustrations, an extensive bibliography, and a comprehensive index.
‘Themes in African-Guyanese History’ is an important publication, because it was able to capture and highlight so many important issues within its two covers, some issues still current, some very instructive in the way forward for Guyana.

Editors: Winston F. McGowan, James G. Rose, and David A. Granger
Reprinted by: Hansib Publications, UK, 2009
First published by: Free Press, Guyana, 1998

(To respond to this author, either call him on (592) 226-0065 or send him an email: oraltradition2002@yahoo.com)

What’s Happening:
•    Two new publications for the season from the Guyana Institute of Historical Research: ‘Kids History Illustrated’ and ‘Black History Month Edition’ 2012.
•     The Inter-Guianas Cultural Festival is slated for August month-end in Guyana; see press for details.