An American Family on the African Frontier: The Burnham Family Letters, 1893-1896In the late 1880s, as the American frontier "closed", the family of Frederick Russell Burnham, an American prospector and military hero, left for Africa in search of a new life. Burnham's experiences in the Indian uprisings of the U.S., his disenchantment with industrial America during the labor battles of the 1880s, and the necessity of using native labor in the mines of South Africa all shaped his thinking during a time when Social Darwinism was fashionable. In a collection of letters edited by historians Mary E. and Richard H. Bradford, the Burnham's life in Africa comes alive, revealing a seldom-seen portrait of turn-of-the-century South Africa through the eyes of an American family that believed, as many of that time did, that a land's resources were available for the taking. While the letters tell of adventure and hardship, they also reveal a brutally honest account of Frederick Russell Burnham's role in the subordination of native cultures for profit. His views, echoed by Cecil Rhodes and many other prominent American, British, and Dutch citizens, held disregard for and ignorance of the culture and traditions of the indigenous people of South Africa. Ultimately, the letters give the reader a fascinating glimpse of America's role in the history of the "Dark Continent". More to the point, however, they go a long way towards explaining many of the problems South Africa faces today. |
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Africa American assegai baby beautiful Blanche Blick family Bob Bain Boer boys Buluwayo California camp Cape Town Capt cattle Cecil Rhodes coach coming Cumming donkeys Durban English everything farm fever fight FRB to Josiah Fred's Frederick Russell Burnham glad gold gone Grace guns Gwelo hear Homer hope horses Howard induna Ingram Jameson Johannesburg John Blick Judd Kaffir killed King kraal laager land leave letter live Lobengula London look M'Limo Mafeking Mangwe Mashona Mashonaland Matabele Matabeleland miles mining months morning native never nice nigs oxen Pasadena Pete pretty Rebecca Russell Burnham Rhodes Rhodesia River road Roderick Russell Burnham Dear Salisbury scout seems sent sleep soon South Africa stay talk tell things told tomorrow Transvaal trip Victoria wagon week write yesterday Zambezi Zambezi River