Beyond Achebe & Adichie

2023-03-04 (Creation date: 2023-04-18)

Katrina Spencer

As part of the annual Southeast Regional Seminar in African Studies (SERSAS) at the University of Virginia, Librarian for African American & African Studies Katrina Spencer gathered three panelists who represent diverse stakeholding positions in the publication of African writers, particularly within “Western” markets. While Chinua Achebe's Things Fall Apart has received countless, deserved accolades and Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie’s profile continues to rise, what other names should we know and what trends should we be looking out for in terms of African writing? Nigerian writer Kenechi Uzor has established Iskanchi Press & Magazine to recruit quality works from African creators. Nigerian author Ukamaka Olisakwe’s success has led her to become a screenwriter. And Northwestern University’s Herskovits Library worker Gene Kanneberg, Jr. is keeping his finger on the pulse of pop culture with his writing, “Wakanda as the Window to the Study of Africa,” in the collection Integrating Pop Culture into the Academic Library (Melissa Edmiston Johnson, editor). Each of these players is creating a pathway for the representation of Africa and Africans, and together the four discuss the points at which their missions converge and diverge. The recorded session is sourced from the original virtual Zoom meeting.

The panelists made reference to a variety of opportunities, publishers, and publications in this recording. Below we provide a list of references for viewers’ convenience:

Melville J. Herskovits Library of African Studies Research Grant (https://www.library.northwestern.edu/libraries-collections/herskovits-library/herskovits-travel-grant.html)
Iskanchi Press & Magazine (https://www.iskanchi.com/) 
Isele Magazine (https://iselemagazine.com/) 
Olongo Africa (https://olongoafrica.com/) 
The Enkare Review
Pidgin English
The Middle Daughter by Chika Unigwe
In Such Tremendous Heat by Kehinde Fadipe
An African Abroad by Olabisi Ajala
After God is Dibia by John Anenechukwu Umeh
Nsibidi (a writing system)
africanpoetics.unl.edu
Nnadozie Onyekuru
Ajami manuscripts
Chris Abani
Bakassi Boys
“Nigerian police detain goat over armed robbery” (https://www.reuters.com/article/oukoe-uk-nigeria-robbery-goat/nigerian-police-detain-goat-over-armed-robbery-idUKTRE50M4BM20090123) 

Ukamaka Olisakwe; Kenechi Uzor; Gene Kannenberg, Jr.

webinar; panel discussion; seminar

African literature; African writing; publishing; writing; libraries

Charlottesville, Virginia

Beyond Achebe & Adichie

University of Virginia Library

English

75-minute Zoom recording

Beyond Achebe & Adichie on YouTube

The panelists made reference to a variety of opportunities, publishers, and publications in this recording. Below we provide a list of references for viewers’ convenience:

Melville J. Herskovits Library of African Studies Research Grant (https://www.library.northwestern.edu/libraries-collections/herskovits-library/herskovits-travel-grant.html)
Iskanchi Press & Magazine (https://www.iskanchi.com/) 
Isele Magazine (https://iselemagazine.com/) 
Olongo Africa (https://olongoafrica.com/) 
The Enkare Review
Pidgin English
The Middle Daughter by Chika Unigwe
In Such Tremendous Heat by Kehinde Fadipe
An African Abroad by Olabisi Ajala
After God is Dibia by John Anenechukwu Umeh
Nsibidi (a writing system)
africanpoetics.unl.edu
Nnadozie Onyekuru
Ajami manuscripts
Chris Abani
Bakassi Boys
“Nigerian police detain goat over armed robbery” (https://www.reuters.com/article/oukoe-uk-nigeria-robbery-goat/nigerian-police-detain-goat-over-armed-robbery-idUKTRE50M4BM20090123) 
Contents
Questions asked, in sequence

1. What’s your name, pronouns, professional role, institutional affiliation, and relationship to African literature and writing? 
2. What new trends do you see developing surrounding the publication of African literature and writing? And how do they make you feel? 
3. What challenges have you seen concerning the publication of African literature and writing, for example translation, African languages, accessibility, funding/sustainability, etc.)? 
4. What types of African voices are not being heard? 
5. What is the role of libraries and archives in collecting and preserving African literature and writing? 
6. In what ways can writers, publishers, researchers, and librarians collaborate to enhance the visibility of African literature?