Melville J. Herskovits Library of African Studies

06/04/2026

On Tuesday we hosted an engaging talk by Dr. Reginold Royston, author of "Pan African Futurism: Ghana and the Paradox of Technology for Development," followed by a conversation with Drs. Sally A. Nuamah and Dotun Ayobade. Our space was filled with music and a lively Q&A!

04/30/2026

Northwestern's Department of Anthropology, together with the Program of African Studies and the Herskovits Library, will host a reception on May 5 at 3:30 here at the Herskovits. This reception is timed to occur in conjunction with an historical visit to NU by a delegation from the Kenyan Ministry of Water, Sanitation, and Irrigation. Refreshments will be served.

04/17/2026

Some photos from last night's wonderful and inspiring talk by artist-in-residence Abraham Oghobase...

04/16/2026

Today at 5:30pm, artist Abraham Oghobase will give a talk in the Herskovits on his work based on his research in our archival photograph collections. Join us (in our newly refurbished presentation space) for what promises to be a fascinating journey! Presented by the Black Arts Consortium and Northwestern Art History.

03/03/2026

Our Research Grant is now accepting applications! Each year we award one or more grants, up to a total of $3,000, open to all fields of study supported by the collections of the Herskovits Library of African Studies. Grants will be awarded to reimburse expenses for transportation, accommodations, and meals for one or more on-site visits to Northwestern University Libraries. Applications due April 17. For full details, visit: https://www.library.northwestern.edu/libraries-collections/distinctive-special-collections/herskovits-library/research-grant.html

02/26/2026

Here's a Call for Proposals for the upcoming African Studies Association conference, on the theme of . Submissions are due Thursday, March 12.

12/09/2025

A fascinating article by Zekeria Ahmed Salem, former Head of Northwestern's Institute for the Study of Islamic Thought in Africa - ISITA, about his recent research experiences in the Muslim holy lands. Well worth a read!

Buffett Faculty Fellow Zekeria Ahmed Salem follows the paths of Saharan scholars, showing how the Hajj forged global Islamic authority through lived experience, history, and scholarly legacy.

11/05/2025

Our new exhibit is "Music in Africa: Histories, Genres, Contexts," on view throughout the 2025-2026 academic year. Watch for programming announcements, coming soon.

There is no single “African Music.”

Traditions vary from region to region, from culture to culture across the great continent; styles blend, mix, and evolve. Histories run deep, and historical methods coexist with contemporary trends, both within Africa and throughout the Diaspora.

In this exhibit, we have tried to represent some of the many forms music has taken in the hearts and voices of Africans, showing its influence on (and some influences from) the entire world.

08/01/2025

Today is "World Beer Day," so what better day to post this image of "President Special Edition Lager," produced in Kenya to honor Barack Obama? Click the link to take you to our Repository where you can peruse the entirety of our "Africa Embracing Obama" collection of all sorts of commemorative items!

1 glass beer bottle with pasted paper label and metal cap. Beer bottle is amber with "EABL" in relief at top and "© 08 23" in relief near base. Label has red, white, and blue seal at center on red background. Label seal has "President special edition lager" in blue lettering at center on white and ...

07/30/2025

"Scientists record 9,000 hours of languages spoken in Kenya, Nigeria and South Africa as free-access training data for AI models."

Scientists record 9,000 hours of languages spoken in Kenya, Nigeria and South Africa as free-access training data for AI models.