“A very good editor is almost a collaborator,” according to the internationally renowned Welsh novelist Ken Follet. In a similar vein, the award-winning American children’s writer Patricia MacLachlan adds: “Somehow, great editors ask the right questions … that get you to write better.” Although the roles of a literary editor and a scholarly journal editor are very different, the perspectives of Follet or MacLachlan about the value of an editor most certainly apply to the late Chris Youe. When he was not the affable and insightful professor of history at Memorial University of Newfoundland, Christopher Paul Youe for the final two decades of his life was a distinguished author and editor of the Canadian Journal of African Studies / La Revue Canadienne des etudes africaines (CJAS/RCEA), published by the Canadian Association of African Studies / L’Association canadienne des etudes africaines (CAAS/ACEA). Professor Youe’s leadership role within the African Studies community of Canada was also reflected in his three decades of service on the CAAS/RCEA Executive, including two terms as President.
Professor Youé’s passion for African Studies was expressed not only in his substantial research and writing – some of which are featured in this collection and most of which are listed in the bibliography at the end of this tribute – but even more so in his inspiring teaching and thoughtful scholarly editing. He enthusiastically devoted four decades of his life to opening up the eyes and minds of his students to the magnificent and harsh realities of the continent that so fascinated him. He was especially proud of the coterie of graduates whom he shepherded into academia to become successful Africanist scholars in their own right. Indeed, so much of his intellectual energy was devoted to helping others to advance their scholarship as beneficiaries of his editorial acumen and as well as his intellectual guidance and mentorship. Professor Youé (he much preferred to be called Chris) was particularly supportive of scholars from Africa, many of whom struggled to get their research published because of a lack of scholarly resources, a plight that motivated him to champion the Books to Africa Program sponsored by CAAS.
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