Equiano, the African

Equiano, the African

Author: Vincent Carretta

Publisher: University of Georgia Press

Published: 2022-09-01

Total Pages: 463

ISBN-13: 0820362972

DOWNLOAD EBOOK

This definitive biography tells the story of the former slave Olaudah Equiano (1745?–1797), who in his day was the English-speaking world’s most renowned person of African descent. Equiano’s greatest legacy is his classic 1789 autobiography, The Interesting Narrative of the Life of Olaudah Equiano, or Gustavus Vassa, the African, Written by Himself. A key document of the early movement to ban the slave trade, as well as the fundamental text in the genre of the African American slave narrative, it includes the earliest known purported firsthand description by an enslaved victim of the horrific Middle Passage from Africa to the Americas. Equiano, the African is filled with fresh revelations about this many-sided figure.


The Politics of Biography in Africa

The Politics of Biography in Africa

Author: Anaïs Angelo

Publisher: Routledge Studies on Gender and Sexuality in Africa

Published: 2023-05

Total Pages: 0

ISBN-13: 9780367679408

DOWNLOAD EBOOK

"Bringing together historians, political scientists, and literary analysts, this volume shows how biographical narratives can shed light on alternative, little known or under-researched aspects of state power in African politics. Part 1 shows how biographical narratives breathe new life into subjects who, upon decolonization, had been reduced to silence - women, workers, and radical politicians. The contributors analyze the complex relationship between biographical narratives and power, questioning either the power of biographical codes peculiar to western, colonial origins, or the power to shape public memory. Part 2 reflects on the act of (auto- )biography writing as an exercise of power, one that blurs the lines between truth and invention. (Auto- )biographical narratives appear as politicized, ambiguous stories. Part 3 focuses on female leadership during and after colonization, exploring on how women gained, lost, or reinvented "power". Brought together, the contributions of this volume show that the function of biographical narratives should no longer oscillate between romanticized narratives and historical evidence; their varied formats all offer fruitful opportunities for a multidisciplinary dialogue. This book will be of interest to scholars from various disciplinary backgrounds working on the African postcolonial state, the decolonization process, women's and gender studies, and biography writing."--Publisher's description


100 Greatest African Americans

100 Greatest African Americans

Author: Molefi Kete Asante

Publisher: Prometheus Books

Published: 2010-06-28

Total Pages: 345

ISBN-13: 161592423X

DOWNLOAD EBOOK

Since 1619, when Africans first came ashore in the swampy Chesapeake region of Virginia, there have been many individuals whose achievements or strength of character in the face of monumental hardships have called attention to the genius of the African American people. This book attempts to distill from many wonderful possibilities the 100 most outstanding examples of greatness. Pioneering scholar of African American Studies Molefi Kete Asante has used four criteria in his selection: the individual''s significance in the general progress of African Americans toward full equality in the American social and political system; self-sacrifice and the demonstration of risk for the collective good; unusual will and determination in the face of the greatest danger or against the most stubborn odds; and personal achievement that reveals the best qualities of the African American people. In adopting these criteria Professor Asante has sought to steer away from the usual standards of popular culture, which often elevates the most popular, the wealthiest, or the most photogenic to the cult of celebrity. The individuals in this book - examples of lasting greatness as opposed to the ephemeral glare of celebrity fame - come from four centuries of African American history. Each entry includes brief biographical information, relevant dates, an assessment of the individual''s place in African American history with particular reference to a historical timeline, and a discussion of his or her unique impact on American society. Numerous pictures and illustrations will accompany the articles. This superb reference work will complement any library and be of special interest to students and scholars of American and African American history.


African Lives

African Lives

Author: Geoff Wisner

Publisher: Lynne Rienner Pub

Published: 2013

Total Pages: 401

ISBN-13: 9781588268624

DOWNLOAD EBOOK

"African Lives, a pioneering anthology of memoirs and autobiographical writings, lets the people of Africa speak for themselves -- telling stories of struggle and achievement that have the authenticity of lived experience. The anthology presents selections from the work of many of Africa's finest writers and most significant personalities from across the continent and spanning several centuries. Enhancing the material, Geoff Wisner's introduction and biographical notes provide important context for the selections and also highlight the challenges that African memoirs pose to the preconceptions of Western readers. The result is a book that is both an absorbing read and a valuable resource for courses on Africa." -- Publisher's description.


Biographies Between Spheres of Empire

Biographies Between Spheres of Empire

Author: Achim von Oppen

Publisher: Routledge

Published: 2018-10-16

Total Pages: 234

ISBN-13: 1351329928

DOWNLOAD EBOOK

Biographical research can illuminate imperial and colonial history. This is particularly true of Africa, where empires competed with one another and colonial society was characterised by rigid divisions. In this book, five biographical studies explore how, in the course of their lives, interpreters, landowners, students and traders navigated the boundaries between the various spaces of the colonial world. With a focus on African life worlds, the authors show the disruptions and constraints as well as the new options and forms of mobility that resulted from colonial rule. This book was originally published as a special issue of The Journal of Imperial and Commonwealth Studies.


A History of African American Autobiography

A History of African American Autobiography

Author: Joycelyn Moody

Publisher: Cambridge University Press

Published: 2021-07-22

Total Pages: 724

ISBN-13: 1108875661

DOWNLOAD EBOOK

This History explores innovations in African American autobiography since its inception, examining the literary and cultural history of Black self-representation amid life writing studies. By analyzing the different forms of autobiography, including pictorial and personal essays, editorials, oral histories, testimonials, diaries, personal and open letters, and even poetry performance media of autobiographies, this book extends the definition of African American autobiography, revealing how people of African descent have created and defined the Black self in diverse print cultures and literary genres since their arrival in the Americas. It illustrates ways African Americans use life writing and autobiography to address personal and collective Black experiences of identity, family, memory, fulfillment, racism and white supremacy. Individual chapters examine scrapbooks as a source of self-documentation, African American autobiography for children, readings of African American persona poems, mixed-race life writing after the Civil Rights Movement, and autobiographies by African American LGBTQ writers.


Women Leaders in African History

Women Leaders in African History

Author: David Sweetman

Publisher: Heinemann Educational Publishers

Published: 1984

Total Pages: 120

ISBN-13:

DOWNLOAD EBOOK

"Women have played a far more central role in Africa than the history books often suggest. Here are lively portraits of twelve key figures. Their periods of influence range from ancient Egypt to the colonial era. This book offers informative reading for secondary school and university students not only in Africa, but in the rest of the world. It will also have an appeal to the general audience interested in the role of women in history." -- Back cover.