Interview with Cheryl Johnson-Odim

Interview with Cheryl Johnson-Odim

This interview addresses Cheryl Johnson-Odim's involvement in many anti-apartheid movements, as well as her research background in African history.

Notable Quote:

"Yeah, you know, it was really interesting. There’s nothing like being outside of this country, and having a major- you know, international event happen, and it’s just very different. I was in Nigeria when Soweto happened, and you know, so, actually one of the first places that I read about- I mean- people were talking about it. It was, you know, on the news in Nigeria, on the radio, on—even on TV. There was very limited TV, but it was on TV. And I remember reading an international version of Time magazine- because later I was to see the US version of Time magazine- and it wasdifferent. It just seemed very different in the way that it covered Soweto ...
[F]irst of all, that Soweto did not get the kind of coverage here that it got in Nigeria, or in many many other countries outside the United States. And second of all, that the public that received it in Nigeria already knew what was going on in South Africa, and that I think much of the public that received here—that that began to be their education about what was going on in South Africa. You know, so- so it was- it was very different, and every place I turned I felt that there were people of like mind, you know, who I could talk to- emote- protest with, you know, about what was going on in Soweto. You know, just to—certainly a depth of knowledge and commitment to that struggle that I- I would not have found, except in certain communities in the United States."

You can listen to this interview or download a transcript via Columbia's Digital Commons  also housing the Cheryl Johnson-Odim Collection.

57 minutes

Carrie Armbruster

Cheryl Johnson-Odim