Searching for Africa in Russia: The Fate of Apollon Davidson

This article is devoted to analysing the scholarly path of the outstanding Russian Africanist Apollon Davidson. His personality has already attracted scholarly attention, primarily in connection with the history of the Centre for African Studies of the Institute of Global History, which Davidson created in 1971. In this study, comprehensive analysis of the subject of Russia and Africa in Davidson’s work is conducted for the first time. Earlier research has only partially touched upon this theme. The main sources are Davidson’s works. The origins of Davidson’s interest in Africa are analyzed. This interest was closely connected with the atmosphere of Stalin’s Soviet Union, in the conditions of which the historian’s personality was formed. The analysis shows that avoiding problems related to the political situation was a conscious choice for Davidson, who sought to avoid having to write propaganda essays within the framework of the dominant ideology. The article identifies the key subjects that attracted Davidson’s attention: the formation of Africa’s image in Russia, the position of Russia in the Anglo-Boer War of 1899–1902, the Comintern and Africa, and the main aspects of Soviet foreign policy in Africa. It is shown that Davidson was especially interested in the African travels of Nikolai Gumilyov and the surge of interest in Africa among the Russian intelligentsia of the Silver Age. The publication of most of Davidson’s studies was possible only in the post-Soviet period.