The following are short descriptions of individuals, places and events which have contributed to the shaping of African American history. These encyclopedia entries serve as a starting point for much more inclusive descriptions and discussions that appear in other sources. For additional information please consult the print or website sources cited in the entry.
Vildana Muratovic, a native of Bosnia-Herzegovina and now a citizen of the United States, describes the impact of hip-hop music on the people of the Balkans following her 1997 return to Sarajevo. Her paper was written in 2007. Since its humble beginnings in the 1970s … Read MoreTupac in Sarajevo: The Rise of Rebellion Rap in Eastern Europe
Amha Selassie, the last emperor of Ethiopia, was proclaimed ruler of the state three times, first in 1960, then in 1975, and finally while in exile in 1989. Selassie was born Asfaw Wossen Tafari in the walled city of Harrar in August 1916 to Dejazmach … Read MoreAmha Selassie (1916-1997)
Patrick Vieira, one of Europe’s leading soccer players, was born in the Cape Verdean community of Dakar, Senegal, on June 23, 1976. He left Senegal at the age of eight when his family moved to Europe and settled in Dreux, in northwest France. Soon after … Read MorePatrick Vieira (1976- )
Haile Gebre Selassie is regarded by many observers as the greatest Ethiopian long-distance runner of all time. He was born in the province of Arsi in central Ethiopia and was inspired by runners Abebe Bikila and Miruts Yifter. As a child he was said to … Read MoreHaile Gebre Selassie (1973- )
In the following article Professor Emeritus Jere L. Bacharach, a specialist in Medieval Middle Eastern history, describes the little known saga of one of the largest groups of persons of African descent in the region, military slaves. These enslaved men, utilized for centuries in the … Read MoreAfrican Military Slaves in the Muslim Middle East
Didier Yves Drogba Tebily, international soccer star, was born March 11, 1978 in Abidjan, Cote d’Ivoire (Ivory Coast). His early childhood was spent in poverty. In an attempt to improve their son’s life, Didier’s parents sent him to France when he was just 5 years … Read MoreDidier Drogba (1978- )
The Beta Israel, meaning House of Israel, are a sect of Ethiopians who practice Judaism. They have also long been referred to as the Falasha, an Amharic word for exile, which has fallen out of favor because of its derogatory connotation. Located in the Northern region … Read MoreBeta Israel
In the nearly half century between 1900 and 1945, various political leaders and intellectuals from Europe, North America, and Africa met six times to discuss colonial control of Africa and develop strategies for eventual African political liberation. In the article that follows, historian Saheed Adejumobi … Read MoreThe Pan-African Congresses, 1900-1945
Victor Séjour was a playwright born in New Orleans, Louisiana on June 2, 1817. His parents were Louis Victor Séjour Marou, a free colored man from Saint-Domingue (Haiti), and Héloise Philippe Ferrand, a quadroon from New Orleans. Although Victor was born in 1817, and his … Read MoreVictor Séjour (1817-1874)
O Clarim da Alvorada (or Clarim d’Alvorada, the clarion of dawn) was a pioneer Afro–Brazilian newspaper established in 1924 and was key in strengthening the incipient black culture movement in the country. Part of a larger black press movement in the city of São Paulo, … Read MoreO Clarim da Alvorada (1924-1932)
