<I>The Literary Corner: Introduction to African English Fiction/Prose with Brooks Robinson (side a) / Eldred Jones on Chinua Achebe (side b)</I>
date: label: Date
content: 1978
name: label: Created by
content: Brooks B. Robinson Ph.D., American
label: Interview of
content: Eldred Jones, PhD, Sierra Leonean, 1925 - 2020
label: Subject of
content: Olaudah Equiano, 1745 - 1797
label: Subject of
content: Thomas Mofolo, Basotho, 1876 - 1948
label: Subject of
content: Chinua Achebe, Nigerian, 1930 - 2013
label: Directed by
content: Robert Cham
notes: label: Description
content: A white plastic cassette tape with recordings of two episodes of the radio program The Literary Corner. The cassette has a beige label on which typewritten text on one side reads [THE LITERARY CORNER / Intro to African-English Prose]. The typewritten text on the other side reads [THE LITERARY CORNER /Eldred Jones on Chinua Achebe].
label: Description
content: Side A: “Introduction to African English Fiction/Prose with Brooks Robinson”
label: Description
content: Episode 22 of the Literary Corner radio program entitled “Introduction to African English Fiction/Prose with Brooks Robinson.” The episode commences with the host, Brooks Robinson, stating that the discussion will begin with the initial African prosaic fiction writers and close with contemporary writers. Robinson then states that “The inhabitants of the African continent were some of the last to actually sit down and write literature.” At one point, Robinson clarifies by stating that the discussion is about African English literature, since Arabic, French and other European languages were used to write African literature prior to the development of anglophone African literature. Some of the subjects covered in this episode include Olaudah Equiano’s first novel, published in the 1790s; Thomas Mofolo and his novels Moeti oa bochabela, Pitseng and Chaka; writers from West Africa such as Gabriel Okora (Voices); Amos Tutuola, and Chinua Achebe (Things Fall Apart); writers from Eastern Africa, most of whom appeared in the 1960s, namely Josiah Kariuki ('Mau Mau' Detainee and Child of Two Worlds), Ngugi wa Thiong'o' (Weep Not, Child and The River Between). At the end of the episode, Robinson reiterates the fact that the discussion exclusively addressed African English literature, since African writers were writing in French, Arabic and other languages before they began to write in English.
label: Description
content: Side B: Eldridge Jones on Chinua Achebe
label: Description
content: Episode 23 of the Literary Corner radio show entitled “Eldred Jones on Chinua Achebe.” It is a discussion of the life and works of Nigerian novelist, poet, professor, and critic, Chinua Achebe. The episode begins with the host, Brooks Robinson, introducing his guest, Professor Eldred Jones. Most of the interview focuses on Achebe’s novels: Things Fall Apart, No Longer at Ease, Arrow of God, and the way Achebe uses them to analyze the Igbo/Nigerian situation. At one point, Professor Jones states that Things Fall Apart explores the breakdown of an African/Igbo traditional society, after its first encounter with European missionaries. He also states that in the novel, the Igbo protagonist lacked weapons to fight against the new missionary impact, backed by imperialism. The protagonist hangs himself because he could not compromise and was defeated. At the end of the interview, Robinson asks Dr. Jones if there are other major themes in Achebe’s work apart from struggle and conflict. They also engage in a brief discussion of the impact of the Nigerian civil war (also known as Biafran war) on Achebe and his work. The outro music play, signifying the end of the episode.
place: label: Place made
content: United States, North and Central America
label: Place depicted
content: Nigeria, West Africa, Africa
label: Place depicted
content: Kenya, East Africa, Africa
title: label: Title
content: Cassette tape with two episodes of the Literary Corner radio program
topic: label: Topic
content: African American
label: Topic
content: Africa
label: Topic
content: Colonialism
label: Topic
content: Decolonization
label: Topic
content: Literature
label: Topic
content: Poetry
label: Topic
content: Radio
label: Topic
content: Slavery
label: Topic
content: Violence
setName: label: See more items in
content: National Museum of African American History and Culture Collection
label: Portfolio/Series
content: The Literary Corner: Black Writers of the World
label: Classification
content: Time-based Media - Audio
label: Movement
content: BAM (Black Arts Movement 1965-1976)
creditLine: label: Credit Line
content: Collection of the Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture, Contributed in memory of Professor Sarah Webster Fabio (1928-1979), poet, educator, Black Arts Movement icon, and one of the Literary Corner's analysts.
dataSource: label: Data Source
content: National Museum of African American History and Culture
identifier: label: Object number
content: 2010.17.1.12a
objectType: label: Type
content: audiotapes
objectRights: label: Restrictions & Rights
content: © Brooks B. Robinson
label: Restrictions & Rights
content: Permission required for use. Proper usage is the responsibility of the user.
physicalDescription: label: Medium
content: plastic and tape
label: Dimensions
content: H x W (audiocassette): 2 3/4 × 4 1/4 × 5/8 in. (7 × 10.8 × 1.6 cm)
label: Dimensions
content: Duration (side a): 00:14:50
label: Dimensions
content: Duration (side b): 00:14:48