Originally published on March 27, 2019 (Episode 104)
Introduction
In 1919, Ohlohr Maigi died in poverty in London. Earlier, under the name A.B.C. Merriman-Labor, he had arrived in the imperial capital full of ambition. He found some success as a satirist and barrister, but gradually fell into obscurity and hardship.
Danell Jones tells this remarkable story in An African in Imperial London: The Indomitable Life of A.B.C. Merriman-Labor (Hurst, 2018). Through meticulous research, she brings to light how the life of an obscure individual can open windows on empire, race, ambition, and failure.
About the Guest
Danell Jones is a writer, scholar, and biographer whose work explores the intersections of literature, history, and identity.
For Further Investigation
Danell Jones, An African in Imperial London: The Indomitable Life of A.B.C. Merriman-Labor (Hurst, 2018)
Listen & Discuss
How does Merriman-Labor’s story complicate our understanding of empire?
What can biography of a little-known figure teach us about the world in which he lived?
Pass this along to someone who thinks empire was just about the powerful so that can see how Merriman-Labor’s story shows otherwise.
