News

Here we include news happening at the Center for African Studies and in our communities regarding Africa-related matters.

To find information about current opportunities such as fellowships, scholarships, other funding opportunities, jobs, internships, volunteer opportunities and calls for abstracts, papers, and proposals, visit our Opportunities Page.

News Announcements

January 14, 2026

Medieval West African History Is More Than Salt for Gold

Source: The Dig

Category: News

Networked Poetics: The Digital Turn in Southern African Poetry

Congratulations to Dr. Susanna Sacks, Recipient of the MLA Scaglione Prize for African Studies

The Center for African Studies at Howard University proudly congratulates Dr. Susanna L.

Category: News, Faculty/Staff Highlights

Ademide-Adelusi-Adeluyi-ASA-Award

Congratulations to Dr. Ademide Adelusi-Adeluyi for the prestigious African Studies Association Book Award!

Congratulations to Dr.

Category: News, Faculty/Staff Highlights, Achievement

Swahili-Trinity-Thiirah

Learning Swahili, Culture, and Community: Trinity's Study Abroad Experience in Kenya

By Trinity Thiirah, Undergraduate Student 

Category: News, Student Highlights, Swahili, Swahili Fulbright GPA, Study Abroad, Africa Travel Experiences

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Naomi's Swahili Study Abroad Experience in Kenya

By Naomi Turner, Undergraduate Student 

Category: News, Student Highlights, Swahili, Swahili Fulbright GPA, Study Abroad, Africa Travel Experiences

CABA 2025 Recap!

Thank you to everyone who joined us for the Children’s Africana Book Awards (CABA) this Saturd

Category: News, Achievement

October 24, 2025

University of the Free State (UFS) honours Prof Robert R. Edgar

Source: News South Africa

Category: News, Faculty/Staff Highlights

Venturing Through Kumase - Reflection from Twi Immersion Program

Category: News, Student Highlights, African Languages, Twi, Study Abroad, Africa Travel Experiences

Swahili-Lily-Odhiambo-1

Lily's Cultural Immersion and Language Growth - Swahili Study Abroad in Kenya

By Lily Odhiambo, Undergraduate Student, Environmental Studies Major with Geogr

Category: News, Student Highlights, Swahili, Swahili Fulbright GPA, Study Abroad, Africa Travel Experiences

Dakar-Goree Swim Ania Ueno

Reflections for Crossing the Waters: Before the Dakar–Gorée Swim

This weekend in Senegal, Ania Ueno, our Communications & Media Manager at the Center for African Studies, will jo

Category: Announcement, News, Faculty/Staff Highlights

Akwaaba: Welcome to Ghana - Reflection from Twi Immersion Program

Category: News, Student Highlights, African Languages, Twi, Study Abroad, Africa Travel Experiences

Dr. Cham and Students at ASA

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

Category: Announcement, News

Edgar-Conference-Flyer

CFP for Robert R. Edgar International Conference

On the occasion of honoring the legacy of Professor Robert R.

Category: News, Faculty/Staff Highlights

Howard University students delve into Zulu language and life on the Expresso Show in South Africa

Howard University students delve into Zulu language and life on the Expresso Show in South Africa!

Expresso Show in South Africa speaks with Howard University's Zulu lecturer, Dr.

Category: News, Alumni-Faculty-Student Highlights, Faculty/Staff Highlights, Student Highlights, FLAS, African Languages, Zulu HUZISA, Study Abroad, Africa Travel Experiences

HU Ghana 2025

Center for African Studies awards record number of summer FLAS fellowships

The Center for African Studies has awarde

Category: News, Student Highlights, FLAS, African Languages, Study Abroad, Africa Travel Experiences

Somali food

Offering Summer Somali I & II

The Department of World Languages and Cultures is offering Somali I & II this S

Category: News, Opportunities

Dr Mbye Cham

Welcome Back Dr. Cham, Our Interim Director!

The distinguished Professor Mbye Cham is our Interim Director

Category: News, Alumni-Faculty-Student Highlights, Faculty/Staff Highlights

ASA Meeting 2024

Howard Participation at ASA 2024

What panels are Howard faculty and students presenting on at the

Category: News, Faculty/Staff Highlights, Student Highlights

Nia Assata Muhammad HUZISA FLAS

Becoming with The People of the Sky: Nia Assata’s Journey in South Africa

Category: News, Student Highlights, FLAS, African Languages, Zulu HUZISA, Study Abroad, Africa Travel Experiences

Reflection on the African Studies Summer Leadership Institute 2024

The African Studies Summer Leadership Institute launched in the summer of 2024 as

Category: News, Faculty/Staff Highlights, Student Highlights

Latrese Johnson Yoruba GPA 2024

Latrese's Yoruba Study Abroad Experience: Linking the past, present, and future

Category: News, Student Highlights, African Languages, Yoruba Fulbright GPA, Study Abroad, Africa Travel Experiences

CABA 2024

Photos from the Children’s Africana Book Awards 2024

Check out photos from the Children’s Africana Book Awards (CABA) 2024 Awar

Category: News

Our director, Dr. Krista Johnson, was interviewed by Newzroom Afrika on the US election on Tuesday.

Newzroom Afrika speaks with Howard faculty and student regarding US elections

On Monday, Xoli Mngambi of Newzroom Afrika, the South African news channel, interviewed Tari

Category: News, Faculty/Staff Highlights

Book Release: Re-Envisioning the African and American Academies

Book Release: Re-Envisioning the African and American Academies

AUTHORS: Paul Tiyambe Zeleza, Ph.D.

Category: News, Alumni Highlights, Faculty and Alumni Publications, Book Releases

September 30, 2024

Conditions in the Congo Are Near Breaking Point, Forcing Global Re-Evaluation

Source: Khalil Winzer-Wilks (The Hilltop)

Category: News

Ameerah-Yoruba-GPA-2024

Ameerah discovers herself in Nigeria

Category: News, Student Highlights, African Languages, Yoruba Fulbright GPA, Study Abroad, Africa Travel Experiences

Mengshu Zhan

We welcome our Visiting Fellow, Dr. Zhan

We welcome Dr.

Category: News

Indigenous Languages and Indigenous Knowledge in East Africa

Book Release: Indigenous Languages and Indigenous Knowledge in East Africa: Swahili, Kikuyu, and Kamba

EDITORS: Esther Mukewa Lisanza, Ph.D., Catherine Mwihaki Ndungo, Ph.D.

Category: News, Book Releases

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Yoruba Fulbright-Hays Project Abroad Reflections from Amina

Category: News, Student Highlights, African Languages, Yoruba Fulbright GPA, Study Abroad, Africa Travel Experiences

Amsale Alemu and Chambi Chachage

Welcome new faculty members to the Dept of African Studies

On behalf of the Center for African Studies at Howard, we welcome new faculty members to the Department of African St

Category: News, Faculty/Staff Highlights

Cyril Ramaphosa and Xi Jinping

Radio France International features Dr. Mnyandu

Dr.

Category: News, Faculty/Staff Highlights

International Day of People of African Descent

Dr. Mnyandu and Dr. Araujo speak at International Day of People of African Descent

To celebrate the International Day of People of African Descent, Hewlett Packard (HP) hosted two speakers to ho

Category: News, Faculty/Staff Highlights

Miracles of Mary Course

New Course! Miracles of Mary

Register for the New Special Topics Course - Miracles of Mary (#AFST122).

Category: News, Opportunities

DaRiah-Kenya-1

Da’Riah's Unforgettable Study Abroad Experience in Kenya

Category: News, Student Highlights, FLAS, African Languages, Swahili, HUSSA, Study Abroad, Africa Travel Experiences

Book: The Palgrave Handbook of Language Policies in Africa

Book Release: The Palgrave Handbook of Language Policies in Africa

EDITORS: Esther Mukewa Lisanza, Ph.D., Leonard Muaka, Ph.D.

Category: News, Book Releases

Newzroom Afrika features Howard University's Zulu lecturer and students

Newzroom Afrika features Howard University's Zulu lecturer and students

Newzroom Afrika, a South African news channel, features Howard University's Zulu lecturer, Dr.

Category: News, Alumni-Faculty-Student Highlights, Faculty/Staff Highlights, Student Highlights, African Languages, Zulu HUZISA, Study Abroad, Africa Travel Experiences

Submit-Africa-Study-Abroad2024

Call for Africa Study Abroad Photos and Stories 2024

Dear students,

Category: News, Opportunities, Call for Abstracts/Papers/Proposals

Krista-COAS-Outstanding-Service-Award-2024

Congratulations to our Center's director for COAS Award!

Congratulations to our Center's director, Dr.

Category: News, Faculty/Staff Highlights, Achievement

HUZISA South Africa 2024 1

Our Zulu students have arrived in Johannesburg!

Our Zulu students have arrived in Johannesburg as part of the 

Category: News, Student Highlights

May 22, 2024

Hosting Kenyan leader, Biden seeks to restore Africans’ trust in US

Source: The Christian Science Monitor (with Phiwokuhle Mnyandu interview)

Category: News, Faculty/Staff Highlights

HBCU-Africa Correspondents Corps 2024: Oluwatobi Osobukola, Michael Walsh, Akofa Bruce, Faith Awotho

Center for African Studies Announces Major Gift-In-Kind from Muck Rack to the HBCU-Africa Correspondents Corps

(Washington, DC) The Center for African Studies is pleased to announce a new educational partnership with Muck Rack,

Category: News

Michael Walsh (HBCU-ACC Advisor) with the Mozambique International Visitor Leadership Program at the Meridian International Center.

Center for African Studies Executive Education Program Director Delivers Foreign Policy Planning Workshop to Mozambican Foreign Policy Leaders

Photo Caption: Participants in the “Curriculum Development for Training Diplomats” watching th

Category: News, Faculty/Staff Highlights