As I Run Toward Africa: A Memoir

by Molefi Kete Asante

As I Run Toward Africa is Molefi Kete Asante's memoir of his extraordinary life. He takes the reader on a journey from the American South to the homes of kings in Africa. Born into a family of 16 children living in a two bedroom shack, Asante rose to become director of UCLA's Centre for Afro American Studies, editor of the Journal of Black Studies and university professor by the age of 30. The government of Ghana designated Asante as a traditional king in 1996. Asante recounts his meetings with personalities such as Wole Soyinka, Cornel West and others. This is an uplifting real-life story about hope and empowerment.

Genres: Biography, African American

336 pages, Paperback

First published October 1, 2011

About the author

Molefi Kete Asante (born Arthur Lee Smith Jr.; August 14, 1942) is an American professor and philosopher. He is a leading figure in the fields of African-American studies, African studies, and communication studies. He is currently professor in the Department of Africology at Temple University, where he founded the PhD program in African-American Studies. He is president of the Molefi Kete Asante Institute for Afrocentric Studies.

Asante is known for his writings on Afrocentricity, a school of thought that has influenced the fields of sociology, intercultural communication, critical theory, political science, the history of Africa, and social work.He is the author of more than 66 books and the founding editor of the Journal of Black Studies.

Reviews

[Andre(Read-A-Lot) · Rating 4 out of 5]

An interesting read. I would have given the book 5 stars but I was unhappy with the lack of clarity concerning time. Often, we are left unaware about what year we are in, and how long certain events took place. I enjoyed the poetic way in which the book was written, and perhaps this accounts for the lack of clear dating of time and events. This was a minor annoyance for me. I think it's necessary in a memoir, to constantly give dates, years, etc.

You do get a sense of what drove Molefi Asante to become the prolific scholar that he is. He always had an innate sense of being African, which was one of the good things about being raised in the coastal plains of Georgia in the late 40's. The man is very accomplished having obtained a Phd by 26 and full tenure by 30. There were areas I wish he would have spent more time on, but I guess he included all that he thought was necessary and that worked for me.

If one is unfamiliar with Asante, you will certainly be inspired to read one of his many works after finishing this memoir. If you are already acquainted, you will see some surprises and you will gain a greater understanding of the depth of his commitment to his people. You will also enjoy his accounts of his meetings/debates with people you will certainly know by their works. It has been an interesting run for Molefi Asante and I enthusiastically recommend this book.