A Tribute to our Founding Director, Professor Mbye Cham

The Center for African Studies and the African Studies community at Howard is profoundly saddened to report the passing of our Founding Director and Distinguished Professor Mbye Cham at the age of 78. A pioneer filmmaker and Professor of African Literature and Film, Dr. Cham spent his entire teaching and scholarly career at Howard University and leaves an indelible imprint on African Studies at our institution.

 Dr. Cham was born in Banjul, the Gambia in 1947 and began his studies at The Gambia High School and subsequently the University of Dakar in Senegal.  Dr. Cham came to the United States and completed his BA degree in French at Temple University.  He received his PhD in African Literature from the University of Wisconsin-Madison, a preeminent university for African Studies in the United States.

At Howard University, a young Dr. Cham joined a stellar cohort of Africanist scholars including fellow Gambian, Professor Suleyman Nyang, Professor Wilfred David, Professor Robert Cummings, and Professor Robert Edgar.  Dr. Cham was mentored by them and ultimately became the anchor for the program, as the Department expanded from exclusively graduate training to now undergraduate teaching as well.  He served as Chair of the Department of African Studies for ten years, while simultaneously launching the Center for African Studies.  He served on dissertation committees and search committees across the campus and was known and respected for his integrity, decency and humility.

His research illuminated oral traditions, modern African literature—both in English and French—West and South African literary forms, African and Third World cinema, and the intersection of culture and development. Among his many scholarly contributions, Dr. Cham co-edited Blackframes: Critical Perspectives on Black Independent Cinema and EX-ILES: Essays on Caribbean Cinema, cementing his role as a global intellectual voice in African and Caribbean cultural studies.  He served as a juror at many African film festivals including  the FESPACO Film Festival in Burkina Faso.  

A preeminent scholar of African film and cinema, Dr. Cham also produced films. In just the past few months he completed a nearly 20 year film project on the life of Gambian sculptor Ebou Sillah, and was near completion on another film project “Ghana Boys” that recounts the story of the Gambian boys who were brought by Kwame Nkrumah to Accra in 1961 to study.

His writings and mentorship extended far beyond the classroom; countless students and colleagues remember him as a generous teacher, thoughtful advisor, and a passionate advocate for African-centered scholarship.

As we mourn the loss of Dr. Cham, we also celebrate his life and legacy. His influence endures in the Center he built, the academic fields he enriched, and the many hearts and minds he touched.

A memorial is being planned at Howard with more details to come.

Rest in power, Dr. Mbye Cham. We are forever grateful to have known you.