The story of the last illegal shipment of 110 slaves to the United States from the Kingdom of Dahomey (present-day Benin) in 1860 is widely known, but the account of the survivors was unavailable until May 8, 2018. Thanks to a resurfaced 1931 interview with the last survivor of the slave ship Clotilde, Cudjo Lewis, whichContinue reading “Cudjo Lewis, the last U.S. slave ship survivor from Benin who founded Africatown”
Author Archives: Ismail Akwei
Meet the homeless 8-yr-old Nigerian chess champ in NYC everyone is talking about
It took third grader Tanitoluwa Adewumi a little over a year to learn to play chess and become the New York State Primary Chess Champion (Top Players K – 3rd Grade) after debuting at the New York State chess championship this month. Tani, as he is affectionately called, and his older brother and parents arrivedContinue reading “Meet the homeless 8-yr-old Nigerian chess champ in NYC everyone is talking about”
Black Mexicans finally get respect and recognition from Mexico
Afro-Mexicans have been in the North American country since the 16th century but are now getting respect from the Mexican government which just created the Instituto Nacional de los Pueblos Indígenas – National Institute of Indigenous Peoples – to recognize the rights of indigenous groups. Black Mexicans were only recognised for the first time in 2015 whenContinue reading “Black Mexicans finally get respect and recognition from Mexico”
Why 2019 is the year for you to visit Ghana as an African American
Since the first slave ships landed in America some 400 years ago carrying Africans to work on plantations and serve their white captives, several attempts have been made by individuals and organisations to repatriate African descendants. Ghana is the only African country that has tried on multiple occasions to return the black diaspora back toContinue reading “Why 2019 is the year for you to visit Ghana as an African American”
Documenting Sudan’s protests through cartoons, the daring work of Boushra Cartoonist
In recent times, political cartoonists have faced stern opposition from governments and laws that stifle dissent and profer prison terms. These revolutionary artists help cause social and political change in their societies with their works of art. Some African cartoonists who have gotten on politicians’ nerves are Tanzania’s Godfrey ‘Gado’ Mwampembwa, South Africa’s Jonathan ‘Zapiro’ Shapiro,Continue reading “Documenting Sudan’s protests through cartoons, the daring work of Boushra Cartoonist”
Ismail Akwei 