africa

Abdulrazak Gurnah attained a new level of global prominence last year when he was awarded the Nobel Prize for Literature. Gurnah’s new novel “Afterlives” spotlights the devastating German colonial rule of early 20th century East Africa and its aftermath.

Angélique Kidjo has cross-pollinated the West African traditions of her childhood in Benin with elements of American R&B, funk and jazz, as well as influences from Europe and Latin America. Kidjo also travels the world advocating on behalf of children in her capacity as a UNICEF and OXFAM goodwill Ambassador and created her own charitable foundation, Batonga, dedicated to support the education of young girls in Africa. The global superstar and four-time Grammy Award winner now stars in "Yemandja," a new music theater work that is a family drama and historical thriller infused with Greek tragedy and themes of love, betrayal, honor, free will, and the horror and injustice of slavery. Named for a Yoruban deity, this MASS MoCA co-commission a parable about gods and humans that illuminates through song what can happen when people are robbed of their culture. The musical will be performed at MASS MoCA on March 4 and 5.

New York Times best-selling novelist Imbolo Mbue’s new novel, "How Beautiful We Were," is a sweeping, wrenching story about the collision of a small African village and an American oil company.

New York Times best-selling novelist Imbolo Mbue’s new novel, "How Beautiful We Were," is a sweeping, wrenching story about the collision of a small…

Petina Gappah is an award-winning and widely translated Zimbabwean writer. She is the author of two novels and two short story collections. Her work has…

The Jajja’s Kids program is a collaboration between Jajja’s Kids, Inc. in the United States and Jajja’s Kids–Africa based in Kampala, Uganda. Together,…

The birth of South Sudan was celebrated the world round, a triumph for global justice and the end of one of the world’s most devastating wars. The…

The Badilas are a close-knit family of artists whose incredible talent and community spirit have made them a household name in Hudson. The Badila’s unique…

Clemantine Wamariya was six years old when her mother and father began to speak in whispers, when neighbors began to disappear, and when she heard the…

Jonathan Starr, once a cutthroat hedge fund manager, is not your traditional do-gooder, and in 2009, when he decided to found Abaarso, a secondary school…