480:
Also inspired by the original West
African Students' Union, The WASU Project aims to document the history of West Africans in Britain, especially those who campaigned for an end to colonial rule and against all forms of racism during the 20th century, by presenting information, photos, and eventually
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in March 1933 named "Africa House". In addition to providing accommodation for students, the hostel also offered rooms to West
African visitors to London, and it housed reference materials on West Africa. The new hostel did nothing to settle the disputes within WASU, and Solanke was accused of
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showed some interest in establishing such a hostel, WASU was keen to maintain control of the project, and in 1929, Solanke left for a fundraising journey through West Africa. Despite this, the
Colonial Office assembled a secret committee to plan for a hostel under its control, and attempted to
340:
In 1942, WASU organised a "West
African Parliamentary Committee", chaired by Sorensen. It also published a call for the immediate internal self-government of Britain's West African colonies, to be followed by independence within five years of the end of the war.
258:
left it unfilled, until the
Colonial Office offered WASU official recognition and financial support to run Africa House. In financial difficulties, WASU accepted the deal, and also accepted funding from organisations such as the
395:. Nkrumah also became Vice President of WASU. The following year, WASU called for an immediate decision on independence for the West African colonies, and criticised the Labour government for its failure to deliver this.
407:. However, he fell out with WASU's executive, each accusing the other of excessive expenditure, and in 1949 he stepped down from his positions in the group. In the 1951 elections to WASU's executive, he organised an
237:
The
Colonial Office determined to open a rival hostel, at which political discussion could be monitored and discouraged. WASU opposed the scheme, and formed an "Africa House Defence Committee", including
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wasting money while in Africa, and of attempting to personally control the new lodgings. Almost all the Gold Coast
Students' Association (GCSA) members left WASU, and even an intervention by
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had ceased to appear, and membership had fallen amid disputes between
Nigerian and Gold Coast members. However, he had raised sufficient funds to open a hostel in
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297:, where small farmers attempted to pressurise the companies by disrupting their supplies. The campaign also convinced most members of the GCSA to rejoin WASU.
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its first priority, while also including the promotion of political research, support for the NCBWA and the provision of a student hostel in its founding aims.
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in 1956. The same year, it underwent a major reorganisation and passed a motion disassociating it from all political organisations. In 1958, it joined the
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304:. This also solved the union's financial problems, and enabled it to step up its campaigning activity. WASU became increasingly identified as an
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90:(and which had grown out of the earlier West African and West Indian Christian Union, founded in 1917), should incorporate itself into the
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WASU also undertook some political campaigns within
Britain. In 1929, it successfully stopped plans for an African village exhibition in
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was founded to unite students' unions throughout the region. It describes itself as a formal resuscitation of the earlier organisation.
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573:
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The aim of founding a hostel was taken directly from USAD and the NPU. Many
African students in Britain found that, due to
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wrote the majority of articles in what was intended as a scholarly publication, circulated both in Europe and Africa.
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Solanke returned from West Africa at the end of the decade, with sufficient funding for a new hostel to open on the
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In July 1938, with grants from various West African governments and British companies, WASU opened a new hostel, on
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106:. Many students joined together to form WASU, and Solanke became the new organisation's secretary-general, while
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The Truth About Aggrey House – An Exposure of the Government Plan to Control African Students in Great Britain
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The Truth About Aggrey House – An Exposure of the Government Plan to Control African Students in Great Britain
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419:. In 1952, WASU determined to close their Camden hostel, but Solanke instead took control of it.
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102:(GCSA) to join together to form a single organisation for West African students, inspired by the
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In the mid-1940s, Solanke returned to West Africa to undertake further fundraising, with
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23:, founded in London, England, in 1925 and active into the 1960s, was an association of
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students in London, and for assorted measures for progress in Britain's African
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West Africans in Britain 1900–1960: Nationalism, Pan-Africanism and Communism
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slate, which failed to take control from the largely communist leadership of
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94:(NCBWA). In 1925, Bankole-Bright of the NCBWA called on USAD, the NPU, the
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While in Africa, Solanke founded more than twenty branches of WASU, in the
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personally visited Africa House to argue the British government's case.
186:, in particular in its campaigns against the colour bar and against the
624:
Encyclopedia of the African Diaspora: Origins, Experiences, and Culture
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was one of the organisations set up in the wake of the demise of WASU.
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86:(USAD), a Christian social organisation dominated by students from the
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24:
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and lost importance, but it remained active into the early 1960s. The
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449:. Following further financial problems, it sold its hostel on the
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would apply to all nations, effectively endorsing WASU's aims, but
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was the new grouping's first patron, which post he used to promote
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426:(IUS) on its foundation, and its members regularly attended the
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becoming acting Secretary-General. WASU also affiliated to the
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WASU's influence in West Africa again increased, with both the
174:. During the 1930s, the group developed increasing links with
143:, it was difficult to secure satisfactory lodgings. While the
44:
693:
593:(first published Frank Cass, 1994), Routledge, 2012, p. 113.
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wrote to Solanke, asking for his assistance in breaking the
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gave a speech to the union in which he suggested that the
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secure private funding for its construction. This became
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at West African Students Union Parliament-WASUP website.
71:, it had begun to campaign for improved welfare for all
250:, who was awarded the title "Babasale of the Union".
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In 2004 a new West African Students' Union based in
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left the IUS in 1952, WASU retained its membership.
67:
background, the previous year. With the support of
364:movement, WASU was a significant supporter of the
515:"History of West African Students' Union (WASU)"
432:National Union of Students of the United Kingdom
82:As early as 1923, Solanke had proposed that the
43:WASU was founded on 7 August 1925 by twenty-one
727:Anti-racist organisations in the United Kingdom
360:within the UK. With its links to the Nigerian
16:London association of students from West Africa
379:, and in 1946 it held a joint conference with
608:. London: West African Students' Union. 1934.
8:
646:"National Union of Nigerian Students (NUNS)"
242:of the LAI, also gaining the support of the
121:The new organisation made opposition to the
587:"West African Students in Britain, 1900–60"
221:By 1932, when Solanke returned to Britain,
742:Student organizations established in 1925
717:1925 establishments in the United Kingdom
618:"West African Students Union (WASU)", in
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508:
495:
493:
568:, London: Lawrence & Wishart, 1998.
356:affiliating. WASU also represented the
92:National Congress of British West Africa
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254:opened in October 1934, but a WASU-led
152:, which WASU exposed in their pamphlet
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332:could only apply to European nations.
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128:WASU began publication of a journal,
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747:Pan-Africanism in the United Kingdom
293:, WASU campaigned in support of the
244:National Council for Civil Liberties
84:Union of Students of African Descent
463:National Union of Nigerian Students
437:In 1952, WASU began publication of
387:. This event agreed a platform of
31:countries who were studying in the
21:West African Students' Union (WASU)
635:Microsoft Encarta, "Kwame Nkrumah"
459:Committee of African Organisations
14:
626:, Vol. 3, ABC-CLIO, 2008, p. 978.
385:West African National Secretariat
316:for the West African colonies.
165:Communist Party of Great Britain
100:Gold Coast Students' Association
453:and opened cheaper premises on
424:International Union of Students
366:Nigerian general strike of 1945
701:- WASU president Pillah Romans
517:, West African Students' Union
234:was unable to settle matters.
132:, in March 1926. Solanke and
1:
295:1938 Gold Coast cocoa hold-up
110:became its first president.
737:Pan-Africanist organizations
354:Sierra Leone Students' Union
188:Italian invasion of Ethiopia
684:at Official WASU'S Website
211:Gold Coast Youth Conference
55:. Solanke had founded the
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350:Nigerian Union of Students
180:League Against Imperialism
688:The WASU Project website.
358:Nigeria Union of Teachers
308:group, and it called for
184:Negro Welfare Association
268:Gold Coast Farmers Union
722:Politics of West Africa
428:World Festival of Youth
422:WASU affiliated to the
336:Activities in the 1940s
217:Activities in the 1930s
207:Nigerian Youth Movement
63:-based students with a
57:Nigerian Progress Union
261:United African Company
104:Indian Students' Union
96:African Progress Union
53:Herbert Bankole-Bright
377:World Youth Movement
178:groups, such as the
169:Member of Parliament
112:J. E. Casely Hayford
752:British West Africa
669:, The WASU Project.
620:Carole Boyce Davies
591:Africans in Britain
502:, The WASU Project.
481:a film about WASU.
455:Warrington Crescent
291:Arthur Creech Jones
281:and the UAC. With
172:Shapurji Saklatvala
116:African nationalism
585:David Killingray,
451:Chelsea Embankment
405:Chelsea Embankment
330:self-determination
314:universal suffrage
240:Reginald Bridgeman
232:William Ofori Atta
69:Amy Ashwood Garvey
500:"History of WASU"
439:WASU News Service
326:Winston Churchill
287:Reginald Sorensen
47:students, led by
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732:Students' unions
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322:Atlantic Charter
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648:. Facts On File
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328:insisted that
318:Clement Attlee
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182:(LAI) and the
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199:Sierra Leone
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150:Aggrey House
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29:West African
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652:13 December
417:Ade Ademola
399:Final years
362:trade union
312:status and
197:, Nigeria,
88:West Indies
59:(NPU), for
711:Categories
485:References
413:Joe Appiah
195:Gold Coast
123:colour bar
694:"History"
562:Hakim Adi
393:socialism
279:Cadbury's
176:communist
161:Newcastle
352:and the
310:dominion
209:and the
201:and the
98:and the
77:colonies
65:Nigerian
25:students
622:(ed.),
443:Marxist
256:boycott
167:(CPGB)
73:African
39:Origins
572:
469:Legacy
275:cartel
227:Camden
141:racism
61:London
475:Ghana
272:cocoa
654:2013
570:ISBN
447:Wasu
415:and
391:and
289:and
285:MPs
246:and
223:Wasu
130:Wasu
51:and
19:The
589:in
383:'s
277:of
45:law
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