The Sankofa Principle in Action: Community Organizing and Grassroots Movements in African and Diasporic Communities

• In Event: Examining the Sankofa Principle in Action

Abstract

The Sankofa principle, rooted in the idea of returning to one’s roots to retrieve what is valuable for navigating the future, serves as a transformative framework for community organizing and grassroots movements across African and diasporic communities. This paper explores how Sankofa-inspired organizing fosters collective empowerment, cultural preservation, and systemic change. Through case studies including South Africa’s Abahlali baseMjondolo (Shack Dwellers Movement), Nigeria’s #EndSARS protests, and Black Lives Matter in the United States, I illustrate how grassroots organizers draw upon the Sankofa principle to link contemporary struggles with historical and cultural legacies of resistance. The analysis delineates three dimensions of Sankofa’s impact: narrative reclamation, cultural preservation and innovation, and transnational solidarity. Movements like #EndSARS and Black Lives Matter amplify marginalized voices to inspire collective agency, while Abahlali baseMjondolo integrates indigenous knowledge and communal practices into advocacy for social justice. Transnational solidarity is exemplified by initiatives such as the 7th Pan-African Congress, which leverages shared histories of colonialism and resistance to build global alliances. The paper centers cultural heritage and historical memory to contribute to organizational communication, African studies, and social movement theory, which seeks to provide insights into grassroots organizing for social change.

Author

• Stephen Agyei, Ohio University