St. Paul recorder. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1934-2000, 1959-03-13

associates refused 10 run ana moe,
rather they remained on the scene
to lend encouragement and lead
the Africans pressing for "immedi-
tae freedom" from European dom
nation.
1t had to happen, because the
British and Nyasaland authorities
were hard-pressed to quell the out
break Of nationalism which had
gripped this member protectorate
of the Central African federation.
Arrested with DR.. Banda, under
emergency powers granted Gov
ernor Sir Robert Armitage, was
Henry Chipembre, DR.. Banda's
chief assistant, and some 200 other
leaders. Earlier, the governor had
placed a ban on the Nyasaland
unit of the African National con-
egrss, following the lead of fellow
Central Africa federation's states
in banning the South Rhodesia,
Northern Rhodesia, and Gambia
contingents.
Disorders Forecast In '5S
The African National Congress
heretofore was best known for its
resistance role to apartheid in the
Union of South Africa. The other
three contingents came into being
several years ago when the rising
tide of African nationalism began
to spread throughout the contin-
ent.
The wave of disorders in the
Central African federation was
forecast in 1853 when Africans,
both those highly and lovely plac-
ed, openly objected to the forma-
ton of the federation, feeling 1t
was simply another means of keep
ing them underfoot for perhaps SO
or 100 more years. The resistance
did not crystalline into a formid-
able movement until the return,
last July, of DR.. Banda from Eng
land, after a Al year absence from
his native land.
Of stocky, short build, and some
what unimpressive in appearance,
DR.. Banda's life story is unusual
one that would captivate the i'm
agination of colored peoples every
where. His early childhood was
ordinary. He was born in a Nyasa
village of poor parents Of the
Chewa tribe. At IS, he ran away
from home to seek an education
and by devious routes, found his
way to South Africa.
Attended WHEREFORE
An uncle interested the late
Bishop William Tecumseh Vernon,
then prelate of the ANfE church
district in South Africa and a
former U. S. register of the treas
ury, in the youth. Bishop Vernon
took him under his wing, secured
a scholarship for him to attend
Wherefore university in Ohio, and
brought him to the United States.
Upon completing his education
at WHEREFORE, DR.. Banda attend
ed the University of Chicago, from
where he received a Phi. D. degree
, in medicine in 1881. At one time
he served as student-instructor in
anthropology at the Chicago
school. He later went to the Univ
ersity of Edinburgh (Scotland) for
further medical studies. He hung
up his shingle in the London sub
urbs, catering to a prosperous
practice of some 1000 patients
most of whom were white.
After an absence of Al years,
he returned to his native land to
take up personally the cudgel with
fellow Africans in the fight for
independence and freedom from
colonial rule.
A Legend Since 81
To fellow Nyasaland Africans,
he has been something Of a legend
since 1851, when he leaped into
the battle, while in England,
against the British plan to sub
merge his country in a federation
with the Rhodesias.
! One of his first announcements,
upon his return to Nyasaland,
was: I'VE are not going to be
buIied by Rhodesian white sett-
lers."
Another clarion caption was ITO
hell with federation"
II is natural that the Nyasaland
government should see in DR.. Ban
da the chief threat against its
rule and that of the federation.
When DR.. Banda and Chipembre
were arrested, armored cars, mill
tary aircraft and troops were on
hand to prevent any attempt to
rescue them. Both were taken
aboard a plane bound, 1t is sup
posed, for Salisbury, in Southern
Rhodesia.
In Exile, He Is Rallying Oan