The field of African history has lost one of its trailblazing figures with the passing of Andrew Roberts at the age of 87. Roberts, who spent much of his career at the School of Oriental and African Studies (Soas) in London, was part of a generation of scholars in the 1960s who saw immense potential in studying Africa’s rich past, despite prevailing skepticism from some quarters.
Challenging Conventional Views
Roberts’ groundbreaking work was driven by a desire to counter the dismissive stance of scholars like Hugh Trevor-Roper, who had infamously claimed that studying African history was impossible. Undeterred, Roberts immersed himself in field research across the continent, spending significant periods at the University of Dar es Salaam in Tanzania and the University of Zambia in Lusaka.
His doctoral research on the Bemba people of northeastern Zambia, which culminated in the influential book “History of the Bemba: Political Growth and Change in North Eastern Zambia Before 1900,” exemplified his innovative approach. By relying on oral tradition and sources, Roberts challenged the notion that African history could not be rigorously studied and documented.
Pioneering Oral Tradition Research
As one of the early pioneers in utilizing oral sources to reconstruct African history, Roberts took a meticulous and unsentimental approach. His 1976 book, “A History of Zambia,” further showcased his conviction that the newly independent African states of the 1960s could not be simplistically cast as historical “nations.”
“Andrew Roberts was a scholar who refused to settle for easy narratives or romanticized visions of Africa’s past,” noted a close colleague. “His commitment to rigorous, evidence-based research helped lay the foundations for the field of African history as we know it today.”
Debating African Agency
Roberts’ emphasis on African historical agency—the idea that Africans were active shapers of their own destinies rather than mere victims—sometimes placed him at odds with more radical scholars. Some felt his perspective could be interpreted as downplaying the devastating impact of colonialism. Nonetheless, his work played a crucial role in centering African experiences and perspectives within the burgeoning field of study.
A Graceful Retirement
By the time he retired from Soas in 1998, Roberts had become a somewhat peripheral figure in a field he had helped establish. Rather than engage in acrimonious debates, he gracefully stepped back to pursue his other passions, which included opera, photography, and art.
Roberts’ legacy, however, remains undiminished. His rigorous scholarship, innovative methodologies, and unwavering commitment to understanding Africa on its own terms continue to inspire new generations of historians. As the field of African history evolves and expands, it stands on the sturdy foundations laid by intrepid researchers like Andrew Roberts, who dared to challenge conventional wisdom and chart new paths of historical inquiry.
