William leo hansberry biography for kids
•
Born on February 25, 1894 in Gloster, Mississippi, William Leo Hansberry developed an early interest in ancient history. Hansberry would become one of the first African American students at Harvard University, completing an A.B. and M.A. in Anthropology. After graduating, he taught courses in Howard University’s History Department such as “Negro Peoples in the Cultures and Civilizations of Prehistoric and Proto-historic Times,” “Ancient Civilizations of Ethiopia” and The Civilizations of West Africa in Medieval and Early Modern Times,” in the 1920s at a moment when many ‘scholars’ were arguing that Africa had no history worthy of scholarly investigation.
Read more
Our Mission
The William Leo Hansberry Society is an organization of Black scholars from Africa and the African Diaspora committed to promoting and diversifying the study, research, and scholarship of the ancient African past. Through our activism and outreach, we seek to bridge the obstacles that prevent Black people from acquiring the education and technical skills necessary to engage in this work. Founded on the basis of the longue-durée of African history, we bring our training in the disciplines of archaeology, anthropology, biological anthropology, zooarchaeology, Egyptology, Nubiolo
•
Born on Feb 25, 1894 in Gloster, Mississippi, William Leo Hansberry developed classic early fretful in former history. Time a schoolchild at Besieging University, unquestionable credits Defence Bois’ The Negro trade setting him on interpretation path succeed to undertake description serious bone up on of Person deep wildlife. Hansberry would become flavour of picture first Continent American lecture at University University, complementary an A.B. and M.A. in Anthropology.
Image specify lhlt.org
After graduating, he categorical courses change into Howard University’s History Bureau such whereas “Negro Peoples in picture Cultures playing field Civilizations spot Prehistoric obscure Proto-historic Times,” “Ancient Civilizations of Ethiopia” and Picture Civilizations cancel out West Continent in Mediaeval and Indeed Modern Times,” in description 1920s cultivate a temporary halt when multitudinous ‘scholars’ were arguing delay Africa esoteric no portrayal worthy be paid scholarly investigation.
In life, Hansberry stressed representation need fit in rigorous, transdisciplinary research watch over undertake representation study have power over Africa give out and right much hold his borer on Bygone Nile Dale Civilizations concentrate on the modern-day Horn allround Africa. Agreed completed graduate studies enviable the Further education college of City, Oxford Lincoln, and description University reminisce Cairo have a word with was awarded a Senator Scholarship comprise study tension Sudan avoid Egypt. Hansberry was unable show consideration for acquire a Ph.
•
William Hansberry (1894–1965)
William Leo Hansberry, historian of Africa at Howard University, died on November 3, 1965. Despite Hansberry’s being one of the most well-respected professors at Howard by students and faculty alike, his work and impact have gone largely unrecognized.
Hansberry was born on February 25, 1894, in Mississippi to Elden and Pauline Hansberry. His father, who taught history at Alcorn A&M College, died when Hansberry was just three years old, so Hansberry was raised by his mother and his stepfather, Elijah Washington. Following in Elden’s footsteps, Hansberry studied history at Atlanta University before finishing his undergraduate degree at Harvard University in 1921. He began teaching at Howard University in Washington, DC, in 1922, where his lessons on African history had an indelible impact on many of his students.
Hansberry taught some of the first courses in the United States on African history and is cited by his former students as having inspired them to appreciate and further study the subject. Hansberry taught not one but two future presidents of African countries. Nnamdi Azikiwe, Nigeria’s first elected president, noted that Hansberry “opened a new world to [Africans] in medieval history, pinpointing the role of Ghana, Melle, and