Читать книгу We Slaves of Suriname - Anton de Kom - Страница 17

It is an honor to write an essay about one of my heroes, Anton de Kom. I can’t remember when I first read his book, but I do know that my mother, who was born into a large farm family in Coronie, Suriname, had a beautiful edition of We Slaves of Suriname on the shelf. On the cover was a portrait of De Kom and above that the title in bold pink and orange letters.

As I write, in 2020, the latest Dutch edition is soon to be published. On the one hand, this is a praiseworthy decision on the publisher’s part, eighty-six years after the first edition. On the other hand, it is sad to think that one reason the book has been reissued is its contemporary significance. In We Slaves of Suriname, De Kom showed in a compelling, probing, and illuminating way that, even after the abolition of slavery, colonialism perpetuated inequality. Many things have changed, but unfortunately we are still, even now in 2020, grappling with the legacy of colonialism. Many generations have drawn strength and inspiration from De Kom’s work. This essay – which is based on documents from The Black Archives, a center for the documentation of Surinamese, Caribbean, and African history – aims to show how Anton de Kom has inspired different generations.