Colonizability of Africa
- Title:
- Colonizability of Africa
- Alternate Title:
- Colonizability of Africa
- Collection:
- Persuasive Maps: PJ Mode Collection
- Creator:
- Johnston, Harry H. & J. G. Bartholomew
- Date:
- 1899
- Posted Date:
- 2024-04-25
- ID Number:
- 2507.01
- File Name:
- PJM_2507_01.jpg
- Style/Period:
- 1870 - 1899
- Subject:
- Bias
Imperialism
Politics & Government
Slavery/Race - Measurement:
- 13 x 12 on page 19 x 12.5 (centimeters, height x width)
- Notes:
- This map offers us an unobstructed view into the mindset of British imperialism at the end of the 19th century. It is the capstone of "A History of the Colonization of Africa by Alien Races" (1899), by Sir Harry H. Johnston, a British colonial administrator with long experience in Africa.
Virtually all of this 300-page work traces the history of the invasions, explorations and colonization of Africa from the Phoenicians through the 19th century. In a brief concluding chapter, Johnston sums up the lessons learned and makes clear his views on race: "We have now seen the result of these race movements during three thousand years which have caused nations superior in physical or mental development to the Negro, the Negroid, and the Hamite to move down on Africa as a field for their colonization, cultivation, and commerce." P. 277. "The black man may continue to increase and multiply and live at peace with the white man, content to perform for the latter many services which his bodily strength and indifference to health permit him to render advantageously. . . . [A]s the white population increases from thousands to millions . . . the black man will be pushed by degrees into the low-lying, unhealthy coast regions of the south-east or into the rich but fever-stricken countries in the Zambezi valley, which must for an indefinite period be regarded as a Black Man's Reserve." P. 281.
Most importantly, Johnston asks, "What is Europe going to do with Africa?" Apart from his "Black Man's Reserve" - shaded in black on the map and termed "Extremely unhealthy Africa" - Johnston divides the "Colonizability" of Africa into three "classes of territory" and suggests separate "courses to be pursued" in each. P. 278.
The first class of territory is shown in pink on the map, "Healthy, colonizable Africa, where European races may be expected to become in time the prevailing type, where essentially European states may be formed." While the map legend begins with the mention of health, Johnston's text more pointedly notes that these areas are attractive because "there is no dense native population to dispute by force or by an appeal to common fairness the possession of the soil." P. 278. This land is located in two areas, in the north of the continent (along the Atlantic and Mediterranean from Morocco and Algeria east) and in the south (where British, Dutch and German colonies already existed).
The second class of territory, shown in yellow on the map, is the vast area "where unfavorable conditions of soil or water supply, or the prior establishment of warlike or enlightened native races or other causes, may effectually prevent European colonization." Again, Johnston is more direct in the text, referring to these "tributary states" as "countries where good and settled government cannot be maintained by the natives without the control of a European power, the European power retaining in return for the expense and trouble of such control the gratification of performing a good and interesting work, and a field of employment for a few of her choicer sons and daughters." P. 279.
The third area, the portion of central Africa shown in gray, is "exploitable Africa; impossible for European colonization, but for the most part of great commercial value and inhabited by fairly docile, governable races; the Africa of the trader and planter and of despotic European control." Johnston says that these "plantation colonies" should be governed "despotically but wisely," and that "the European may come in small numbers with his capital, his energy, and his knowledge to develop a most lucrative commerce, and obtain products necessary to the use of his advanced civilization." P. 279.
Cornell University Library is pleased to present this digital collection of Persuasive Maps, the originals of which have been collected and described by the private collector PJ Mode. The descriptive information in the “Collector’s Notes” has been supplied by Mr. Mode and does not necessarily reflect the views of Cornell University. - Source:
- Johnston, Harry H. 1899; reprinted 1905. A History of the Colonization of Africa by Alien Races. Cambridge: University Press.
- Format:
- Image
- Rights:
- For important information about copyright and use, see http://persuasivemaps.library.cornell.edu/copyright.