Navigating Academia as an African in the Diaspora: A Journey of Purpose and Perseverance

Navigating life as an African in the diaspora has never been a walk in the park. It takes resilience and adaptability to not only survive but also thrive in such environments, as evidenced by Professor Jacob Gordon‘s journey.

Born into a culturally diverse Nigerian family, Prof. Gordon’s early life shaped his deep sense of purpose. From overcoming racial barriers in 1960s America to pioneering African and African-American studies, he has thrived in environments that consistently challenged his identity.

Prof. Gordon is an elected member of the Alachua County, Florida Democratic Executive Committee (DEC); a Precinct Leader in the City of Gainesville, Florida; and the Chair of the DEC History Committee.

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In this interview with The Love Central, the 85-year-old professor shares his remarkable experiences. His story is not just about overcoming adversity but about transforming those challenges into a platform for success and empowerment.

Q: How has your African cultural background shaped your academic journey and contributed to your success in the American academic system? Were there specific challenges or advantages you faced due to your cultural identity?

I was born in a diverse community. My father was an Okpe man from the Sapele area, while my mother was Itsekiri. But I wasn’t born in these environments; I was born in the Benin City area. My parents left their area because their marriage was kicked against by relatives so I was born in that mix of cultural diversity.  

My parents owned rubber plantations, and as a little boy, I grew up running around with the Igbo workers on the plantation. My father passed away when I was a little boy, so I was raised by my mother. She taught me the importance of living a purposeful life, and that lesson has stayed with me throughout my life.

I attended Sapele Boys’ Academy and later received a scholarship in the late 1950s to attend Yaba Higher College, now known as Yaba College of Technology. After finishing there, I was fortunate to receive a scholarship to study in Ethiopia. I became a Haile Selassie Scholar and was one of the first West African students to attend Addis Ababa University. I spent a year there studying economic history.

I left Addis Ababa University in 1959/60 to intern in Switzerland with Swiss Air. While working in Zurich, I received a scholarship from Bethune-Cookman University in the United States, a college founded in 1904 by Mary McLeod Bethune, a pioneering black woman. It was a full scholarship, but it did not include travel. And since I had to come across the Atlantic Ocean to come to the U.S., I didn’t have money.

At the end of the summer, I was supposed to return to Addis Ababa, but my manager called me into his office and asked, ‘Jacob, do you plan to go to the U.S., or are you going back to Addis Ababa?’ I told him I’d rather go to the U.S. He replied, ‘Don’t worry, you’re a good intern. Swiss Air flies to New York City three times a day, and we’ll give you a ticket for free.’ That was how, by God’s grace, I made it to the U.S. in 1960, just before Nigeria’s independence.

When I arrived in the US, racism and its legacy were a strong part of American life. I faced many challenges as both an African and a Black person. We couldn’t sit in the front of city buses or go to the beach because we were black. I remember one time I refused to sit at the back of the bus, and they jailed me. They said I was disturbing the peace. In those days, as a black person, you were considered inferior.

Q: Did you encounter any stereotypes or biases as an African academic in the diaspora? 

There are many, many challenges. Some of them are cultural, others academic. If you are an African and you are black, it’s double jeopardy. In the diaspora, especially in the US, a lot of relationships between whites and blacks are based on stereotypes. The idea that white people are inherently superior to black people was a big problem in America, and we have to face that.

In the academy, it was challenging adapting to the American educational system. Under the British system, when I was in Nigeria, we wrote English as English people taught us. But when I came to America, I had to learn to spell in the American way. If you don’t write that way, you’re in trouble, so I had to learn quickly. As Africans, we are very good at adapting.

I had difficulties publishing articles in American journals, particularly in the Journal of Historical Society, because I didn’t always agree with the white scholars. The field of African-American history and African diaspora studies was monopolized by white scholars when I arrived.

I also had problems with some African Americans. Some of them were angry that we Africans enslaved them. I happen to be a prince on my mother’s side and my father’s side. My great-grandfather was a slave dealer so you can understand the root of their anger.

Q: How did you balance cultural traditions and expectations with the demands of the American system? Were there any adjustments you needed to make?

My African roots taught me important lessons. African culture and the values I learned from home carried me through. In America, I had to integrate myself into the system. You cannot just be an African in isolation; you won’t make it that way.

But I never forgot my roots. We still have Nigerian restaurants here, we still wear our attire, and we still use our drums. We take our culture with us just like the slaves did during the American plantation system.

I also had to engage with American culture. Athletics, for example, is a big enterprise in America, and I enjoy American sports. You must merge the two worlds together to survive here.”

Q: Did you have mentors or role models who supported you during your academic journey? How important was mentorship in your success?

I’ve always believed in the importance of mentorship and was fortunate to have mentors who shaped my academic career.

One of my mentors at Howard University was Dorothy Porter, a librarian who decolonized the library system. She was one of the first Black individuals to earn a master’s degree in Library Science from Columbia University. I worked with her as an assistant at the Moorland-Spingarn Research Center, and her impact inspired my commitment to creating archival materials in Africa. She was an exceptional mentor and passed away in 1995.

Another influential mentor was Dr. W.A. McMillan, my dean at Bethune-Cookman University. He later became the president of Rust College and invited me to teach there, which allowed me to continue my PhD work. Dr. McMillan played a critical role in helping me balance teaching with my research, which was crucial to my academic development.

W.E.B. Du Bois was also a great influence on me. A leader in the Pan-African movement from 1919 until 1945, he was one of my lecturers at Howard University, where he co-taught a Historiography class with Rayford Logan. Du Bois was a brilliant scholar and the first Black man in America to earn a PhD in history from Harvard University.

James Emma Kwegyir Aggrey, whose biography I am currently working on, had a great influence on me. He was popularly known as ‘Aggrey of Africa’ from the Gold Coast. He came to America in 1898 as a young man to pursue his studies, attending Livingstone College, a historically Black college in North Carolina.

I’ve drawn inspiration from renowned figures like Frederick Douglass, Nnamdi Azikiwe, and Kwame Nkrumah, who were all leaders in the fight for the emancipation and empowerment of Black people.

Mentorship has been pivotal in my life. It teaches you how to understand and navigate complex systems, and standing on the shoulders of those who have come before you can make your journey far easier.

Q: What advice would you give to young Africans aspiring to academic careers in the diaspora?

My advice to young Africans wanting to pursue academia in the diaspora is simple: persevere. It’s not going to be easy, but nothing worthwhile ever is. You will face challenges—racism, cultural differences, financial struggles—but you must stay focused on your goal.

One of the greatest challenges is that you will be judged not just as an African but also as a black person. Many young Africans come to America and become discouraged because they face discrimination. But I tell them to remember their purpose and why they came here. If you lose sight of that, it’ll be easy to give up.

I also tell them to seek opportunities for education, scholarships, and fellowships and make the most of them. Many young Africans come here and get distracted by the pursuit of the American dollar. While money is important, knowledge is something no one can take from you, and it will open doors for you for the rest of your life.

Final Words of Wisdom

As an African in the diaspora, you carry the weight of your history and culture with you. Be proud of it. Never forget where you come from, but also adapt to the world around you. You cannot live in isolation. You must embrace your African heritage while learning from the cultures around you.

I believe that we Africans have a responsibility not just to ourselves but to our continent. What we learn in the diaspora, we must take back to Africa and use it to build our nations. There is so much potential in Africa, and it’s up to us to harness it.

Finally, I say to all young Africans in the diaspora: live with purpose. That’s what my mother taught me, and it has been my guiding principle. If you live a purposeful life, nothing can stand in your way.

P.S.: Visit Prof. Gordon’s Amazon store: https://www.amazon.com/Jacob-U.-Gordon/e/B001HCYVFK

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