RUNOKO RASHIDI The core of my philosophy as a historian is that deep down inside of us, regardless of class and even in the worst seeming of us, all people want to feel proud of themselves and desire to know that they come from a people that has done something important in the world. Our ability to tap this desire is vital to our future and essential to our prosperity and well-being. --Runoko Rashidi Runoko Rashidi is a historian, anthropologist, research specialist, writer, world traveler and public lecturer focusing on the African foundations of humanity and classical civilizations. To date, he has visited 103 countries and lectured in fifty-nine, with notable successes throughout the continent of Africa, India, Australia, the US, Canada, the Caribbean and Central and South America. He is the author or editor of eighteen books. He is particularly drawn to the Black presence in Asia, Australia, the Pacific Islands—the ancient African diaspora, and has coordinated numerous historic educational group tours worldwide. He divides his time between Los Angeles and Paris. As a lecturer in Europe and North America, he has made hundreds of presentations in educational institutions at all levels, libraries, book stores, religious and cultural centers and prisons. Dr. Rashidi is the editor, along with Dr. Ivan Van Sertima, of the African Presence in Early Asia 1985, revised and expanded in 1988, and the tenth anniversary edition in 1995. In December 2005 Editions Monde Global in Paris released his first text in French, Histoire Millenaire des Africains en Asie. His most recent works are, Black Star: The African Presence in Early Europe in November 2011, Reflections et Voyages: Sur les Traces de lAfrique Dans le Monde in June 2012 and African Star Over Asia: The Black Presence in the East in November 2012. Runoko has worked with notable scholars such as John Henrik Clarke, John G. Jackson, Ivan Van Sertima, Asa G. Hilliard III, Yosef A.A. ben-Jochannan, Joyce E. King, Hassimi Maiga, Dieudonne Gnammankou, Arthur Torrington, Rosemary Sadlier, Robin Walker, Karen A. Johnson and Wesley Muhammad. As a presenter, some of the highlights of Runoko’s career are the inaugural address at the First All-India Dalit Writer’s Conference in Hyderabad, India in 1987; plenary speaker at the World’s Indigenous People’s Conference in Toowoomba, Australia in 1998; keynote speaker at the International Reunion of the African Family in Latin America in Barlovento, Venezuela in 1999; opening plenary speaker for the first Global Black Nationalities Conference in Oshogbo, Nigeria in 2010; and, opening plenary speaker and President of the Diaspora Forum at the historic FESMAN Conference in Dakar, Senegal in December 2010. In 1999 Runoko Rashidi became the first non-Indian recipient of the prestigious B.R. Ambedkar Memorial Award in India. In 2002 he was awarded an honorary Doctor of Divinity Degree by the Amon-Ra Theological Seminary in Los Angeles. Dr. Rashidi has made his motto the statement that History is a light that illuminates the past, and a key that unlocks the door to the future.” He believes that his major mission in life is to help make Africans proud of themselves, to help change the way Africa is viewed in the world and to help reunite a family of people that has been separated far too long. Runoko Rashidi may be reached at Runoko@hotmail or at 210 232 7272. For a brief background on Dr. Rashidi please go to travelwithrunoko
Posted on: Sat, 18 Oct 2014 12:02:32 +0000
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