A fourth grade teacher commemorated Black History Month with a study of African culture and geography. Students were assigned to make a chosen African country come alive through an oral presentation. Finger puppets, which students outfitted in traditional tribal attire, were used to enhance the project. (SM)

Traces new developments in the study of African comparative politics since 1978 by surveying a number of college teachers of African politics. Finds there is an escalation of interest in the politics of South Africa. The lack of student knowledge concerning Africa and the lack of an agreed-upon text are identified as problems. (KO)

Compares African children's stories with Kenyan primary school literature with regard to structure, use of characterization, forms of dramatization, and social contexts of storytelling. Argues that school texts, published mostly by multinational firms, have been adapted to only surface characteristics of African cultures. Proposes that features of…

Black popular music has its roots in African music that was a way of preserving history. A brief social and cultural history traces black popular music in the United States, focusing on the music blacks listened to, rather than just the music blacks played. (SLD)

Provides information on the inspiration for Alexis Preller's painting "Mapogga Rondawel," specifically addressing the Ndebele tribe's round, thatched houses called rondawels. Offers ideas for accompanying activities. Includes a reproduction of the painting and examines the painting in detail. (CMK)

The practical reality for far too many urban schools is one that reflects the despair, dire socioeconomic situations, and a complex cultural ethos of numerous neighborhoods and countless youth. Thus, a more rigorous analysis and critical appreciation of youth is necessary because their issues are complex, multifaceted, and delve deeper than what…

African-American student academic performance, as a group, in most educational settings causes alarm to educators, policymakers, and laypeople, alike. Some suggest that the problems associated with the academic under-achievement of many African-American students are perhaps the most pressing issues facing both educators and researchers. Much…

A research synthesis was conducted including three meta analyses, a review of the relevant literature, and supplemental analyses examining the relationship between personal faith and the reduction of the achievement gap. Personal faith included belief and adherence to any religion. The results of the three meta-analyses indicated that: (a)…

Literature by African women has a social function. Popular topics are colonialism, feminism, and culture conflict. The works of two Senegalese writers, Ba and Sow Fall, are described and compared. They recognize conflict, but they also write about less obvious social influences and recognize that social change can be beneficial. (VM)

The following instruments for measuring Black personality use the world view and cultural orientations of Africa have been developed and are described: (1) the Black Personality Questionnaire; (2) the Black Preference Inventory; (3) the Black Opinion Scale; (4) the Themes of Black Awareness Test; (5) the Themes Concerning Blacks Test; and (6) the…

Presents data on Yoruba undergraduates' attitudes towards their traditional culture and the Western culture institutionalized at a Nigerian university. In general, the students are ambivalent towards both cultures--they adopt customs and values of both cultures, but not in any particular pattern. The students are caught up in the upheaval of a…

Provides a brief overview of political and economic developments of the past 25 years in Africa. Maintains this was a period of experimentation with vast differences in the ways in which governments dealt with human and natural problems. (JDH)

The insidious nature of the apartheid system in South Africa is described, and what individuals and nations can do to end it is suggested. (RM)

Uses Fanon's concept of the Manichean colonial situation and his Dialectical Theory of Identification to explore images of African heritage in the works of two mulatto Cuban poets, Gabriel de la Concepcion Valdez (1809-1844) and Nicolas Guillen (born 1902). (GC)

In presenting a rationale for allowing--even encouraging--children to count on their fingers, the author illustrates finger counting systems from African and American Indian tribes and the medieval European system cataloged by the Venerable Bede. She cites number words from many languages which derive from names for gestures. (SJL)