Rhodes Must Fall

The Struggle to Decolonise the Racist Heart of Empire

The Rhodes Must Fall Movement

 

Synopsis

When students at Oxford University called for a statue of Cecil Rhodes to be removed, the significance of their protest was felt across continents. This was not simply about tearing down an outward symbol of British imperialism—a monument glorifying a colonial conqueror—but about confronting the toxic inheritance of the past, and challenging the continued underrepresentation of people of color at universities. And it went to the very heart of the pernicious influence of colonialism in education today. Written by key members of the movement itself, Rhodes Must Fall is the story of that campaign. Showing the crucial importance of both intersectionality and solidarity with sister movements in South Africa and beyond, this book shows what it means to boldly challenge the racism rooted deeply at the very heart of empire.

Review

From the colonies to the heart of empire, #RhodesMustFall reinvigorated the academy like no other student movement since the 1960’s. This book is an explosive testament to that collective achievement, and a signpost for the intellectual road ahead. - Xolela Mangcu

Author

The Rhodes Must Fall Movement (#RhodesMustFall) is a protest movement that began on March 9, 2015, originally directed against a statue of British Imperialist Cecil Rhodes at the University of Cape Town in South Africa.