African Legends Literature: Reviving African Epics Can Enrich All Students Everywhere

• In Event: 35.017 - What Has Happened to African American Young Adult Literature in the Digital Age?

Abstract

It is a little known fact that epic heroes and sheros of African descent were once widely known and respected around the world. The Aethiopis, the third book of the Trojan War that is little known outside academic circles gave us King Memnon, Queen Nefertari of the 18th dynasty of Egypt was celebrated widely and the Kushite King Nimrod was mentioned in the Old Testament as a hero of the earliest times. There were many more. This presentation focuses on what happened to this literary tradition and how it is being revived and utilized to enrich literacy.

Author

• Gregory Walker, Seker Nefer Press