Négritude

AbstractThe Négritude philosophy preceded the literary and cultural movement that emerged in 1939. Equally important, the principles and objectives of the movement are continuous and evolve in time to address the general black condition, which Césaire termed the “Negro situation.” Through its evolution the Négritude movement remained grounded in history. In studying, examining, and exposing the particular roots of contemporary black conditions, advocates of the movement contributed to its intellectual, social, and political developments, from the twentieth century into the twenty‐first century. Similar to the preceding and concurrent movements of the black world, Négritude is essentially a call for the reclamation of the Negro humanity and, by extension, the humanity of all races and colors. It is a humanism, as Césaire repeatedly asserted. In its ideologies, Négritude complements the literary and political works of such diasporic movements as Pan‐Africanism, Indigénisme, New Negro/Harlem Renaissance, Garveyism, and Afrocriollo.