Congratulations to Wendell Nii Laryea Adjetey (2014 Scholar)!

The Pierre Elliott Trudeau Foundation congratulates Dr. Wendell Nii Laryea Adjetey for earning the 2024 Best Scholarly Book in Canadian History Prize of the Canadian History Association for his book, "Cross-Border Cosmopolitans." This accolade is reserved for works that significantly deepen our understanding of Canada’s rich past.

“Cross-Border Cosmopolitans” explores the pivotal role of Pan-African thought in shaping African American history from 1900 to 2000 and its influence on U.S. foreign policy. The narrative begins with Marcus Garvey’s vision of North America as a launchpad for Black liberation and follows the evolution of cross-border activism. Post-WWII, a diverse group of activists, including Vietnam War resisters and Black Panthers, migrated to denounce global injustices. The potential unity of Black, Red, and Quebecois Power movements led to surveillance and disruption by U.S. and Canadian intelligence. Assassinations of key Black figures spurred a renewed push for a united African World. The book contends that these movements are a modern extension of the Underground Railroad and America’s Great Migration, emphasizing their transatlantic and hemispheric significance.

It’s also noteworthy to mention that Dr. Adjetey is a runner-up for the Frederick Jackson Turner Prize from the American Historical Association, honoring the best book in American history by a first-time author.