THE LIFE OF MARTIN ROBINSON DELANY’S AND EVOLUTION HIS IDEOLOGICAL AND POLITICAL VIEWS

Abstract

This article examines the evolution of the ideological and political views of Martin Robinson Delany, who is credited with the first conceptual justification of the doctrine of «black nationalism» in the United States. The author analyzes the main milestones of the biography of this figure, his rich literary heritage, focusing on the consideration of the internal dialectics of Delany’s political philosophy, the variability and inconsistency of his views at various stages of life. Special attention is paid to Delany’s attitude to the ideology of pan-Africanism and black nationalism, as well as his controversy with Frederick Douglass. The uniqueness of the study lies in the fact that it is the first attempt in Russian academic science to present the biography and analysis of the ideological and theoretical heritage of an outstanding African-American public figure, an assessment of his contribution to the struggle for the rights of the black population in the United States. The source base is the work of Delany himself and his biographies, none of which has been translated into Russian. A number of sources are being introduced into scientific circulation for the first time. The historical-genetic and historical-typological methods are used as specific historical methods in this work.

Keywords

• black nationalism
• integrationism
• abolitionism
• slavery
• american civil war
• movement for the rights of the african-american population
• martin robinson delany
• frederick douglass
• abraham lincoln