In Praise of Black Women, Volume 1: Ancient African Queens Volume 1

By Simone Schwarz-Bart

In Praise of Black Women is a magnificent tribute to women in Africa and the African diaspora from the ancient past to the present. Lavishly illustrated, with text written and selected by the celebrated Guadeloupian novelist Simone Schwarz-Bart, this four-volume series celebrates remarkable women who distinguished themselves in their time and shaped the course of culture and history.
Volume 1: Ancient African Queens weaves together oral tradition, folk legends and stories, songs and poems, historical accounts, and travelers' tales from Egypt to southern Africa, from prehistory to the nineteenth century. These women rulers, warriors, and heroines include Amanirenas, the queen of Kush who battled Roman armies and defeated them at Aswan; Daurama, mother of the seven Hausa kingdoms; Amina Kulibali, founder of the Gabu dynasty in Senegal; Ana de Sousa Nzinga, who resisted the Portuguese conquest of Angola; Beatrice Kimpa Vita, a Kongo prophet burned at the stake by Christian missionaries; Nanda, mother of the famous warrior-king Shaka Zulu; and many others.
These extraordinary women's stories, narrated in the style of African oral tradition, are absorbing, informative, and accessible. The abundant illustrations, many of them rare archival images, depict the diversity among Black women and make this volume a unique treasure for every art lover, every school, and every family.

• Format: Hardcover
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0299172503
• ISBN13: 9780299172503
• Release Date: October 2001
• Publisher: University of Wisconsin Press
• Length: 448 Pages
• Weight: 5.70 lbs.
• Dimensions: 1.4" x 9.4" x 12.1"

Customer Reviews

Wonderful Book

I think everyone of any ethnic background could appreciate this beautifully illustrated text. It has even given me some historical context for a book I'm writting. I love it.

Exciting Research

In Praise of Black Women is one of my alltime favorite books, beautifully illustrated and colorful, it does an excellent job at presenting ancestrial and legendary African women as leaders, smart, beautiful, sexy, brave, talented, spiritual, mystical, five dimensional...Every type is represented, from warrior to diplomat and everyone in between. Included, are the average everyday persons who performed extra-ordinary acts of faith and deeds. Purchasing this book new will set you back a bit, but it is worth every dollar...A home library staple and heirloom

An African treasury

"In Praise of Black Women" is a gorgeously illustrated volume relating the lives of ancient African queens, rulers and warriors from pre-historic Africa through ancient Egypt up to the 19th century. Twenty-eight remarkable women are profiled here, all of whom had a lasting impact on their time. Here you will find Queen Tiye, the consort of Pharaoh Amenhotep III; Makeda, the legendary Queen of Sheba; Nandi, the mother of Shaka Zulu, and a host of other fascinating women. Superbly narrated by Simone Schwarz-Bart in the tradition of the oral historians of Africa, there are also historical sidebars on each page to bring the time and place into fuller perspective. This book is a magnificent tribute to the women of Africa and to all women of the African diaspora.

You Owe It to Yourself to Read This Book!

In Praise of Black Women: Ancient African Queens is an astonishingly rich, gorgeous jewel box of information, artwork and the voices of women who changed the world interwoven with the words of "ordinary" women. This is a mission of true love and commitment--the work that went into it is evident on every page, and from that loving tribute flows the wonder of our Ancient African Queens and their inspring legacies. Everyone who is or knows or loves a Black woman will find this book a very rewarding read.

In Praise of Black Women: Ancient African Queens

This is a beautiful book for all generations. The book is broken down into short stories. There is extensive use of pictures and historical diagrams which makes each story interesting for adults and children. This book provides the reader with a true sense of who these women were. It is a wonderful book for all families, especially those with young girls and teenagers. I wish all students and teachers had access to this book. This is not just for the African-American population. American children receive too much of their learning from "acceptable history" books and the movies, both which perpetuate an inaccurate picture of much of the rest of the world. I know this book opened my eyes and expanded my view of history.