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The Archive · A Life in Letters

The
Authors

182 writers · from across the continent

Every written tradition in Africa begins with an oral one. The authors gathered here worked at that threshold — translating the weight of cultures into sentences that could cross oceans and centuries. Their books are both private and communal, personal and ancestral.

Browse by name below. Each author page carries their major works, their awards, the languages they wrote in, and — where available — the country they came from. The archive is incomplete; the work of filling it is ongoing.

Abiola Irele

Abiola Irele

Philosophy

Achille Mbembe

Achille Mbembe

Philosophy

Aïcha Gaddafi

Aïcha Gaddafi

Philosophy

Aimé Césaire

Aimé Césaire

Philosophy

Aime Mpane

Philosophy

Alain Badiou

Alain Badiou

Philosophy

Alain Locke

Alain Locke

Philosophy

Alain Mabanckou

Alain Mabanckou

Philosophy

Al-Farabi

Al-Farabi

Philosophy

Al-Ghazali

Philosophy

Ali A. Mazrui

Ali A. Mazrui

Philosophy

Ali Mazrui

Ali Mazrui

Philosophy

Al-Kindi

Philosophy

Ama Ata Aidoo

Ama Ata Aidoo

Philosophy

Amilcar Cabral

Amilcar Cabral

Philosophy

Amos Tutuola

Amos Tutuola

Philosophy

Angela Davis

Angela Davis

Philosophy

Antjie Krog

Antjie Krog

Philosophy

Augustine of Hippo

Augustine of Hippo

Philosophy

Ayi Kwei Armah

Ayi Kwei Armah

Philosophy

Aziz Fall

Philosophy

Ben Okri

Ben Okri

Philosophy

Bernard Boxill

Philosophy

Bessie Head

Bessie Head

Philosophy

Binyavanga Wainaina

Binyavanga Wainaina

Philosophy

Boubacar Boris Diop

Philosophy

Breyten Breytenbach

Breyten Breytenbach

Philosophy

Buchi Emecheta

Buchi Emecheta

Philosophy

Camara Laye

Philosophy

Catherine Malabou

Philosophy

Chantal Mouffe

Chantal Mouffe

Philosophy

Charles Mills

Charles Mills

Philosophy

Cheikh Anta Diop

Cheikh Anta Diop

Philosophy

Chielozona Eze

Philosophy

Chika Okeke-Agulu

Chika Okeke-Agulu

Philosophy

Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie

Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie

Philosophy

Chinua Achebe

Chinua Achebe

Philosophy

Claude Ake

Claude Ake

Philosophy

Clémentine Nzuji

Philosophy

Cornel West

Cornel West

Philosophy

D.A. Masolo

Philosophy

Dambudzo Marechera

Dambudzo Marechera

Philosophy

Danielle Allen

Danielle Allen

Philosophy

Denise Ferreira da Silva

Philosophy

Didier Kaphagawani

Philosophy

Diké Aké

Diké Aké

Philosophy

Ebrima Sall

Ebrima Sall

Philosophy

E. J. Alagoa

Philosophy

Ellen Kuzwayo

Philosophy

Emmanuel Chukwudi Eze

Philosophy

Ezekiel Mphahlele

Ezekiel Mphahlele

Philosophy

F. Abiola Irele

F. Abiola Irele

Philosophy

Falaiye Oluremi

Philosophy

Fania Noël

Fania Noël

Philosophy

Fatou Diome

Fatou Diome

Philosophy

Felwine Sarr

Felwine Sarr

Philosophy

Femi Taiwo

Philosophy

Florence Masebe

Florence Masebe

Philosophy

Frank Ukadike

Frank Ukadike

Philosophy

Frantz Fanon

Frantz Fanon

Philosophy

Fred Moten

Fred Moten

Philosophy

Gabriella Ghermandi

Gabriella Ghermandi

Philosophy

Gaston Berger

Philosophy

Gayatri Chakravorty Spivak

Gayatri Chakravorty Spivak

Philosophy

George Yancy

Philosophy

Godwin Sogolo

Philosophy

Grâce Decca

Grâce Decca

Philosophy

Grace Ogot

Grace Ogot

Philosophy

Grada Kilomba

Grada Kilomba

Philosophy

Hortense Spillers

Philosophy

Howard McGary

Philosophy

Ibn Khaldun

Ibn Khaldun

Philosophy

Ibn Rushd

Ibn Rushd

Philosophy

Ifi Amadiume

Philosophy

Jacqueline-Bethel Mougoué

Jacqueline-Bethel Mougoué

Philosophy

Jacques Derrida

Jacques Derrida

Philosophy

James Emmanuel Kwegyir Aggrey

Philosophy

Janheinz Jahn

Philosophy

Jean-Godefroy Bidima

Philosophy

Jean-Marc Ela

Jean-Marc Ela

Philosophy

Jenerali Ulimwengu

Jenerali Ulimwengu

Philosophy

John Mbiti

John Mbiti

Philosophy

John S. Mbiti

Philosophy

Julius Nyerere

Julius Nyerere

Philosophy

Keguro Macharia

Philosophy

Kofi Annan

Kofi Annan

Philosophy

Kofi Kissi Dompere

Philosophy

Kojin Karatani

Philosophy

Kole Omotoso

Philosophy

Kopano Ratele

Kopano Ratele

Philosophy

Kwame Anthony Appiah

Kwame Anthony Appiah

Philosophy

Kwame Nkrumah

Kwame Nkrumah

Philosophy

Kwasi Wiredu

Kwasi Wiredu

Philosophy

Lansana Keita

Lansana Keita

Philosophy

Léonce Ndikumana

Léonce Ndikumana

Philosophy

Léon-Gontran Damas

Léon-Gontran Damas

Philosophy

Léonora Miano

Léonora Miano

Philosophy

Leopold Sedar Senghor

Leopold Sedar Senghor

Philosophy

Leopold Sédar Senghor

Leopold Sédar Senghor

Philosophy

Lewis R. Gordon

Philosophy

Lionel Koffi Djokoua

Philosophy

Lucius Outlaw

Philosophy

Mabogo Percy More

Mabogo Percy More

Philosophy

Magema Fuze

Philosophy

Mahmood Mamdani

Mahmood Mamdani

Philosophy

Malebranche Okonkwo

Philosophy

Manthia Diawara

Philosophy

Maria Lugones

Maria Lugones

Philosophy

Mariama Bâ

Mariama Bâ

Philosophy

Mariane Ibrahim

Mariane Ibrahim

Philosophy

Marjorie Oludhe Macgoye

Marjorie Oludhe Macgoye

Philosophy

Martinican philosopher and psychiatrist Frantz Fanon

Martinican philosopher and psychiatrist Frantz Fanon

Philosophy

Micere Githae Mugo

Philosophy

Michael Onyebuchi Eze

Michael Onyebuchi Eze

Philosophy

Mogobe Ramose

Philosophy

Molefi Kete Asante

Molefi Kete Asante

Philosophy

Mongo Beti

Mongo Beti

Philosophy

Mũkoma wa Ngũgĩ

Mũkoma wa Ngũgĩ

Philosophy

Nadia Yala Kisukidi

Philosophy

Nelson Maldonado-Torres

Philosophy

Neville Alexander

Neville Alexander

Philosophy

Ngũgĩ wa Mirii

Ngũgĩ wa Mirii

Philosophy

Ngũgĩ wa Thiong'o

Ngũgĩ wa Thiong'o

Philosophy

Ngũgĩ wa Thiong'o

Ngũgĩ wa Thiong'o

Philosophy

Niyi Osundare

Niyi Osundare

Philosophy

Nkiru Nzegwu

Nkiru Nzegwu

Philosophy

Okot p'Bitek

Okot p'Bitek

Philosophy

Olaudah Equiano

Olaudah Equiano

Philosophy

Olúfẹ́mi O. Táíwò

Olúfẹ́mi O. Táíwò

Philosophy

Olúmúyìwá Ògúnsẹ̀mítàn

Philosophy

Olu Oguibe

Olu Oguibe

Philosophy

Oumar Diagne

Oumar Diagne

Philosophy

Ousmane Kane

Ousmane Kane

Philosophy

Ousmane Sembène

Ousmane Sembène

Philosophy

Oyekan Owomoyela

Oyekan Owomoyela

Philosophy

Oyeronke Oyewumi

Oyeronke Oyewumi

Philosophy

Paget Henry

Philosophy

Patrice Nganang

Patrice Nganang

Philosophy

Patricia Hill Collins

Patricia Hill Collins

Philosophy

Patricia McFadden

Patricia McFadden

Philosophy

Paulin Hountondji

Paulin Hountondji

Philosophy

Percy Qoboza

Percy Qoboza

Philosophy

Phyllis Ntantala

Philosophy

Pius Adesanmi

Philosophy

Pumla Gobodo-Madikizela

Pumla Gobodo-Madikizela

Philosophy

Reiland Rabaka

Philosophy

Rokhaya Diallo

Rokhaya Diallo

Philosophy

Ruth Simbao

Ruth Simbao

Philosophy

Sabelo Ndlovu-Gatsheni

Sabelo Ndlovu-Gatsheni

Philosophy

Safiya Sinclair

Philosophy

Safro Kwame

Safro Kwame

Philosophy

Samir Amin

Samir Amin

Philosophy

Seloua Luste Boulbina

Philosophy

Severino Ngoenha

Philosophy

Simon Gikandi

Simon Gikandi

Philosophy

Sindiwe Magona

Sindiwe Magona

Philosophy

Sophie Oluwole

Philosophy

Souleymane Bachir Diagne

Souleymane Bachir Diagne

Philosophy

Stephen Bantu Biko

Stephen Bantu Biko

Philosophy

Steve Biko

Steve Biko

Philosophy

Susan Buck-Morss

Philosophy

Sylvia Wynter

Philosophy

Taban Lo Liyong

Philosophy

Tariq Ramadan

Tariq Ramadan

Philosophy

Teferra Worqneh

Philosophy

Thabo Mbeki

Thabo Mbeki

Philosophy

Thaddeus Metz

Thaddeus Metz

Philosophy

Theophile Obenga

Theophile Obenga

Philosophy

Tsenay Serequeberhan

Philosophy

Tsitsi Dangarembga

Tsitsi Dangarembga

Philosophy

Tunde Bewaji

Philosophy

Valentin-Yves Mudimbe

Valentin-Yves Mudimbe

Philosophy

Vera Chirwa

Vera Chirwa

Philosophy

Véronique Tadjo

Véronique Tadjo

Philosophy

V. Y. Mudimbe

V. Y. Mudimbe

Philosophy

Walter Rodney

Walter Rodney

Philosophy

Wambui Mwangi

Wambui Mwangi

Philosophy

Wole Soyinka

Wole Soyinka

Philosophy

Wunyabari O. Maloba

Wunyabari O. Maloba

Philosophy

Yambo Ouologuem

Yambo Ouologuem

Philosophy

Yvonne Vera

Yvonne Vera

Philosophy

Zakes Mda

Philosophy

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