'African Independence' Documentary Screens In San Leandro

The San Leandro Performing Arts Center at San Leandro High School will play host tonight to a documentary entitled African Independence.

The film was researched and produced by Tukufu Zuberi a sociology professor at the University of Pennsylvania who is also a host of the PBS Series, the History Detectives.

The feature-length documentary premiered in January at the San Diego Black Film Festival where it was selected as best documentary.

Tukufu was born in Oakland as Antonio McDaniel.

He told an interviewer on KPFA that he ran track for Oakland High. He also talked about being influenced Oakland's Black Power movement, and connected the African independence struggles to the demands for equality among members of what he called "the African diaspora."

His Wikipedia profile says that Tukufu Zuberi is Swahili for "beyond praise" and "strength." 

Read the text of an interview in which Zuberi talks about the film.

Or check out a YouTube trailer.

African Independence is being screened as part of the Oakland International Film Festival. The showing in San Leandro testifies to the appeal of the city's Performing Arts Center.

Buy tickets online here. The show starts at 5 pm.

What do you know of African independence?