This page is dedicated to our dearly departed colleagues and friends, whose hard work and commitment to the study of Africa contributed significantly to the production and exchange of knowledge on Africa. The tireless work of these individuals has profoundly impacted and changed narratives about Africa and Africans for the better, which in turn has changed attitudes and approaches toward studying and engaging the continent. We honor and thank them for their hard work.
If you would like to submit an obituary or tribute please click here.
Please note that entries will be accepted and posted on a rolling basis, and need not be for recent deaths. Submissions will be accepted for any individual acknowledged to have made a positive contribution to the study of Africa as a scholar, practitioner, artist, politician, peace maker, etc.
21 Oct, 2025
Dr. LaRay Denzer, a distinguished historian of West African sociopolitical history and longtime ASA member, passed away on September 7, […]
15 Oct, 2025
The African Studies Association mourns the passing of Professor Bethwell Allan Ogot (August 3, 1929 – January 30, 2025), a […]
3 Oct, 2025
James Ferguson passed away on Feb. 12, 2025. Dr. Ferguson was a cultural anthropologist and professor at Stanford University since […]
19 Sep, 2025
Dr. Mbye Cham, beloved professor, pioneering scholar, filmmaker, and mentor, devoted more than four decades of his life to Howard […]
1 Aug, 2025
Al Howard was a wonderful, giving colleague who devoted his life to Africa both in terms of academic work but […]
21 Jul, 2025
Ms. Assumpta A. Oturu transitioned on July 2, 2025, in Los Angeles County, California. Assumpta was a long-standing member of […]
9 Jul, 2025
“I have come a long way, and I want to sleep”: Ngũgĩ wa Thiong’o (5 January 1938-28 May 2025) – […]
8 May, 2025
Tribute by Georges Nzongola-NtalajaTribute by Kasongo M. Kapanga Tribute by Georges Nzongola-Ntalaja, PhD, Professor Emeritus, UNC-Chapel Hill Former DRC Ambassador […]
4 Apr, 2025
Christopher Paul Ehret, age 83, of Thousand Oaks, California, passed away on Tuesday, March 25, 2025. A beloved advisor, mentor, […]
