2 - Amsterdam

Johny takes a Black Heritage tour along Amsterdam’s canal-lined landscape to understand how a Dutch national identity can champion progressive politics, yet remain unwilling to properly acknowledge four centuries of colonial expansion. Along the way, he speaks to Vincent de Kom, the great great grandson of Anton de Kom, anti-Nazi freedom fighter and one of the first to write about Dutch-imposed slavery in Suriname. We also hear from Akwasi, whose brand of hiphop melds Ghanaian and Dutch influence into a textured, sonic concoction.  Written and hosted by Johny Pitts, the producer and composer is Femi Oriogun-Williams. A Reduced Listening and Afropean co-production.  

Om Podcasten

What does it mean to be both African and European? Author Johny Pitts hosts a six part series exploring major European cities and the art, politics and history of their Black communities. Experience Europe through a lens often missing from tourist guides and official national narratives. Each episode dives deep into a different capital city: Brussels, Amsterdam, Berlin, Stockholm, Lisbon and Paris. The Afropean Podcast is a co-production by Afropean and Reduced Listening. It is written and presented by Johny Pitts. The producer, sound designer and composer is Femi Oriogun-Williams. The assistant producer is Charlie Towler and the executive producer is Chris Elcombe. With thanks to National Geographic for their support of Season 1. You can read more stories from Black Europe in Afropean: Notes From Black Europen which is out now, published by Penguin in the UK and translated into French, Spanish, Italian, German, Polish, Dutch and Portuguese. Afropean Journal, a photographic essay bringing together 20 years of images and ephemera from Johny's work, is out now published by Morel. And you can contribute your own story to the website Afropean.com.