The Maroon Within Us

by Asa G. Hilliard III

Strategies for the collective development of Black people.

255 pages, Paperback

First published March 1, 1995

About the author

Asa Grant Hilliard III (August 22, 1933 – August 13, 2007) was an African-American professor of educational psychology who worked on indigenous ancient African history (ancient Egyptian), culture, education and society. He was the Fuller E. Callaway Professor of Urban Education at Georgia State University, with joint appointments in the Department of Educational Policy Studies and the Department of Educational Psychology and Special Education.

Reviews

[JRT · Rating 5 out of 5]

“To demand freedom from slavery only to use that freedom to commit one’s self to a voluntary cultural servitude is to lose the chance to be human.” This quote sums up the general tone and theme of this collection of essays from author and African-centered educator, Asa G. Hilliard.

Throughout this work Hilliard frames “cultural genocide” as the primary tool for the total enslavement and degradation of African people. As he explains, the destruction / attempted destruction of African culture paved the way for complete colonization, and laid the groundwork for neo-colonization. “The Maroon Within Us” seeks to articulate how conscious African people can go about reversing this situation, with a particular emphasis on “community socialization” rooted in traditional African culture. Hilliard passionately argues that conscious Africans (continental and diasporic) must look inward and move like the Maroons of old, separating themselves from the corrosive cultures of their oppressors, in order to lay a foundation for collective liberation.

The running theme in Hilliard’s essays is that Black Americans can improve their “community socialization”—particularly with regard to educating children—by leaning into African culture. In doing so, Black Americans must “return” to their history, specifically the history of the great civilizations of the Nile Valley. In short, this book details how Africans can utilize their culture—what Hilliard defines as “the personality of a group”—as a means to improve the individual behavior and collective socialization of African people. This work has the potential of serving as a great tool for the redevelopment of the mentalities of African people.

[James Hall]

The late, great Dr. Hilliard examines the economic, educational, spiritual, and political aspects of the African American reality.