How many books by African women writers have you read this year? We are encouraging our readers to use the hashtag #ReadAfricanWomenWriters to bring into focus books that have been written by African women in 2019. In a series of articles, we will highlight a list of books by African women published in 2019.
Women empowerment
Africans rising Wangechi Mutu unveils first installation of the Metropolitan Museum of Art’s façade in 117-years
Designed by Richard Morris Hunt and completed in 1902, the American Metropolitan Museum of Art’s facade features four niches intended to house free-standing sculptures. 117 years later this intention has been fulfilled by Kenyan contemporary artist Wangechi Mutu with an installation dubbed, “The NewOnes, will free Us”
Arts and Culture Ashenda: Ethiopia’s annual festival reserved for girls and young women
Ashenda is a unique traditional Tigraian festival celebrated in northern Ethiopia that is exclusively for girls and young women. “Ashenda” is the name of a tall grass found in the country that the revelers use to embellish their celebration gowns.
Lifestyle Fawn Weaver starts American whiskey brand to honour the contribution of a slave master distiller
A 270-acre distillery is the first in U.S. history to honour Nathan “Nearest” Green an African American slave known as the Godfather of Tennessee whiskey and one of the few operated and owned by a black woman. It is reported that Jack Daniels of the popular whiskey brand learnt everything on the art of distillation and the operation of a whiskey still from this man.
Africans rising O’Meara Chiedza Rusike is Zimbabwe’s first black female jockey
Zimbabwean pioneer O’Meara Chiedza Rusike is the country’s first black female jockey. The 21-year-old credits her adoptive parents and turbulent childhood for her achievement saying, “God often uses our deepest pain as the launching of our greatest calling”.
Politics and Society UCT says ‘Enough is enough’ at Parliament picket
Anger and tears were in evidence as students and staff from the University of Cape Town (UCT) were joined by members of the public outside Parliament on Wednesday morning, 4 September, to call for an end to sexual and gender-based violence.
Arts and Culture Nigerian-made animated series “Malika, Warrior Queen” ties in uniquely Nigerian stories
Roye Okupe, the co-founder and CEO of YouNeek Studios is contributing to Nigeria’s growing animation industry with his female superhero series, “Malika, Warrior Queen”. The story of Malika is inspired by Queen Amina of Zazzau (Zaria), the 15th century northern Nigerian ruler
Africans rising Zimbabwean scholar Tererai Trent among the first ten life-size statues erected in New York to honour women championing gender equality
Tererai Trent is among ten women including media mogul Oprah Winfrey, conservationist Jane Goodall, activist Janet Mock and chemist Tracy Dyson whose statues have been unveiled in New York. The women are being honoured for their contributions towards gender equality by Statues For Equality
Africans rising Winnie Byanyima leaves Oxfam to join UNAIDS as Executive Director
Winnie Byanyima, renowned human rights advocate and former Ugandan Member of Parliament has left Oxfam after seven years to join UNAIDS as its Executive Director. The appointment has been widely praised and shared across social media.