Renowned author, activist and Albright class of 1994 alumnus, Mukoma wa Ngugi, Ph.D., will return to his alma mater on Monday, Nov. 19, at 6:30 p.m., to present “A Liberal Arts Education as Foundation: A Thank You Note to Albright College,” about the impact of his liberal arts education. The free and open event will be held in Albright’s McMillan Student Center, south lounge.
Named one of the 100 most Influential Africans by New African magazine, Mukoma wa Ngugi, Ph.D., is the author of crime fiction novels “Nairobi Heat” and “Black Star Nairobi,” as well as a poet, activist and an associate professor of English at Cornell University. His 2018 book, “The Rise of the African Novel: Politics of Language, Identity and Ownership” offers important discussion points about the misreading of early African literature.
Born in Illinois, Ngugi grew up in Kenya before returning to the United States for his undergraduate and graduate education in English and creative writing. The son of African writer Ngugi wa Thiong’o, Ngugi has been featured in The Guardian, International Herald Tribune and Los Angeles Times and has appeared on Al Jazeera, NPR, Democracy Now, Nation TV and the BBC World Service.
Ngugi’s Nov. 19 lecture is offered in memory of Gerald and Helen Androne by Mary Jane and Ricard Androne — both professors emeriti of Albright with careers spanning more than 40 years in the college’s English department. The lecture aims to promote the reading, understanding and appreciation of English literature at Albright and the Greater Reading community.
