Our African Renaissance

[Patrick A. Howell]

"The African Renaissance is the concept that African people and nations shall overcome the current challenges confronting the continent and achieve cultural, scientific, and economic renewal." Wikipedia  

The African Renaissance concept was first articulated by Cheikh Anta Diop in a series of essays beginning in 1946, which are collected in his book Towards the African Renaissance: Essays in Culture and Development, 1946-1960.  

This concept seems to be in full force with the emergence of African authors and projects as The Kindness of Enemies by Leila Abouela (Grove Atlantic),  The Happy Marriabe by Tahar Ben Jelloun  (Translated byAndre' Naffis-Sahely- Melville House) or And After Many Days by Jowhor Ile (PEnguin Random House).  And, of course there are authors as Taiye Selasi (Ghana Must Go), Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie (MacArthur Genius Grant recipient, author of Half a Yellow Sun) and Zadie Smith (author of White Teeth, elected a fellow of the Royal Society of Literature in 2002).   

Do you think we are in the midst of an African Renaissance?  

Does this Renaissance include authors as Denene Milner (New York Times Best Selling author of I Am Charlie Wilson, In March 2011, Millner was chosen by Black Voices website as one of 40 Influential Black Female Writers), Paul Beatty (author of The Sellout, awarded the Man Booker Prize, National Book Critics Circle Award for Fiction) and Ta-Nehisi Coates (author of Between the World and Me,winner of the National Book Award for non-fiction).   Why?  Why Not?

Does this Renaissance extend to other arts as acting, photography, graphic design, painting and sculpting?

*Responses/Dialogue might be excerpted, quoted for Huffington Post article - Thanks for your say of what is and is not. 

 

[Troy]

I have not yet read the Diop 's collection of Essays.  But I have just ordered it and I will.

Yes, the African Renaissance extends to all forms of arts, culture, and commerce.  In my mind, it speaks to our agency.

 

 

[Mel Hopkins]

If we're amid an African or even African American renaissance, it's our best kept secret.  A renaissance is usually marked by the resurgence of polymaths - and I'm hard-pressed to find any in this century.   Polymaths are identified by their ability of knowing a lot and doing a lot.  Further, those achievements are peer-reviewed.  I'll keep looking though because when it comes to identifying polymaths in our culture - black women and men are often overlooked.

[Troy]

Humm reminds me I didn't get this book yet ;-)