Anani Dzidzienyo

Anani Dzidzienyo was a professor of Afro-Brazilian studies at Brown University. He is known for his scholarship on the African diaspora in Latin America.

Early life and education Born in Sekondi, Gold Coast in 1941, Dzidzienyo grew up as Ghana became independent. This political climate and the influence of Kwame Nkrumah caused Dzidzienyo to consider a career as a diplomat and to study international relations. In 1965, he began attending Williams College,

Career In 1971, Dzidzienyo wrote "The Position of Blacks in Brazilian Society", an article which challenged the perspective the racial discrimination was no longer present in Latin America after the end of the colonial period and slavery. He contributed to many books and encyclopedias. He studied the relationship between Brazil and Africa, the after-effects of slavery on Black Brazilians and racial dynamics both in Brazil and elsewhere. Concerned with policy, Dzidzienyo authored reports for human rights foundations.

Awards and honours

2020 Brazilian Studies Association's Lifetime Contribution Award His extensive personal collection of research documents from his years at Brown was later sorted and archived by students. He formed "lasting personal relationships with his students" as a mentor, fostering generations of scholars in Afro-Brazilian studies and encouraging them to learn Portuguese.