In May, the groundbreaking Kenyan writer and activist Ngũgĩ Wa Thiong’o died. Ngũgĩ braved prison, exile, and beatings—and attacks on his family—to speak the truth about both colonial and “post-colonial” Africa. He wrote plays, novels, essays, poetry, and criticism. His novel Devil on the Cross was composed on toilet paper in prison. Ngũgĩ called on African authors to write in their own languages. He is a giant of contemporary world literature. Participating in this tribute are Mũkoma wa Ngũgĩ, Gayatri Chakravorty Spivak, Maaza Mengiste, and Caroline Elkins. Andy Zee will host.
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