He founded the Department of African and Afro-American Studies at Harvard University in 1969 and taught many courses in African history and philosophy. Greek Philosophers Who Came to Africa to Study . African Philosophy For years debate has raged among African philosophers: does Africa have a distinct philosophical tradition, and if so, what is its nature? By Adu-Asamoa, Barima. The tasks for African philosophers in crisis ridden Africa is the focus of this work. Rick Lewis asked Emmanuel Eze, who though based in the United States is a leading figure on the African philosophical scene. BLACK HISTORY MONTH . African-American Philosophers brings into conversation seventeen of the foremost thinkers of color to discuss issues such as Black existentialism, racism, Black women philosophers within the academy, affirmative action and the conceptual parameters of African-American philosophy. Magazine article New African. Martin Luther King Jr. Perhaps one of the most influential voices of the Civil Rights Movement, Martin Luther King Jr. has played a major role in shaping Black consciousness today. When one thinks of great philosophers (which probably isn't too often), one most likely thinks of dead Europeans. Are there philosophical traditions which are distinctively African? Almost all writers studied in a philosophy class will be European, and in some classes there will be absolutely no mention of American philosophers at all. Article excerpt. “Africana philosophy” is the name for an emergent and still developing field of ideas and idea-spaces, intellectual endeavors, discourses, and discursive networks within and beyond academic philosophy that was recognized as such by national and international organizations of professional philosophers, including the American Philosophical Association, starting in the 1980s. In ancient times, people held views that there was nothing like African philosophy; Africans could not think and make philosophical sense of their experiences. Isaac is well known as an activist working for peace in the Middle East, including in his native land of Ethiopia. Read preview.