Synopses & Reviews
Modern African Women offers powerful and unforgettable tales from Senegal to South Africa, from the nineteenth century to the present. These modern African rulers, leaders, and visionaries include Madam Yoko, Queen of the Kpaa Mende and national heroine of Sierra Leone; Princess Kesso, a Fulani Muslim princess from Guinea who became one of the worlds first black models; Alice Lenshina, who fought British colonial rule in Zambia and was considered a prophet in the Lumpa Church; Ellen Kuzwayo, member of the African National Congress whose struggle for civil and womens rights landed her in prison; Dulcie September, the ANC representative in France, killed for her ardent support for the cause of freedom; Miriam Makeba, internationally loved singer South African singer; Winnie Mandela, who carried on the struggle during Nelson Mandelas long imprisonment; and many others.
Review
"Simone Schwarz-Barts goal is to rescue and reconstruct the lives of black women world wide. . . . Informative, uplifting, and inspiring!"—Howard Dodson, director, Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture
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"This enchanting work transports the reader back in time and gives a voice to the little-known black women of the past."—Publishers Weekly
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"What a beautiful book!!! And three more like this??? We are excited!"—QBR The Black Book Review
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"Visually stunning.... Every page contains high-quality color reproductions, including many full- and double-page spreads, of rarely seen art works and images of African history and culture." —Library Journal
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"This book will be in demand particularly during the months devoted to Black History and Womens History. An invaluable and fascinating resource."—School Library Journal
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"The author of this book, Simone Schwarz-Bart, and the book publisher, Sandrah Monthieux Pélage, have compiled a priceless source of valuable information, which will provide the building blocks for reintroducing the contributions of Black Women to a multitude of fields of study and disciplines."—Congresswoman Sheila Jackson Lee (D-TX)
Review
"New African is proud to recommend to its readers this wonderful tribute to black women"—New African
About the Author
Simone Schwarz-Bart is the author of six novels and a play, which have been translated and published in many languages; Between Two Worlds and The Bridge of Beyond have been published in English. André Schwarz-Bart is the author of three novels, including Le Dernier des justes (The Last of the Just), which was awarded the 1959 Prix Goncourt and has been translated into twenty languages. Rose-Myriam Rejouis and Val Vinokurov have previously translated two works by French novelist Patrick Chamoiseau into English: Solibo Magnificent and Texaco. They translated In Praise of Black Women with Stephanie Daval. Howard Dodson is director of the Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture in New York City.