African Humanities Program

Reinvigorating the humanities in Ghana, Nigeria, South Africa, Tanzania, and Uganda
Nobel laureate Wole Soyinka after delivering the keynote address at the AHP Regional Assembly in Abuja, Nigeria, February 2020
Nobel laureate Wole Soyinka after delivering the keynote address at the AHP Regional Assembly in Abuja, Nigeria, February 2020

Since 2009, the African Humanities Program has awarded fellowships to more than 450 early career scholars in Ghana, Nigeria, South Africa, Tanzania, and Uganda, with the generous support of the Carnegie Corporation of New York. In future, the momentum generated by AHP will continue to build a vibrant humanities community on the continent through the African Humanities Association (AHA). Founded by AHP Fellows, assessors, and advisers, AHA has taken sturdy steps toward institutionalization through the efforts of the Interim Steering Committee.  

In 2021-22 AHP announced an extraordinary competition to extend for one year the fellowship program that began in 2008-09 and that had been scheduled to conclude in 2020-21.  Funds for the extension became available due to the cancelation of in-person activities during the COVID-19 pandemic. 
 
The 2021-22 AHP competition has now closed.  Awards have been made to African scholars, living and working on the continent, pursuing basic research in the humanities, willing to take two semesters leave from all other employment to devote full energy to the project proposed.  No further AHP fellowship competitions are planned. 

The Carnegie/ACLS African Humanities Program is committed to inclusion, equity, and diversity as integral components of merit that enhance the scholarly enterprise. It is a priority of this program that cohorts of Fellows be broadly inclusive of different backgrounds, cultures, and any aspects that make one unique. We seek balance regarding gender, country of origin, and current university affiliation, as well as in topics and disciplinary  approaches. 

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AHP Resources

AHP Publications

The African Humanities Series is a book-publishing project of the African Humanities Program of the American Council of Learned Societies.

AHP Regional Assemblies

These annual events celebrate recent research supported by AHP and to plan for a future, African-directed AHP.

African Humanities Voices

This video series chronicles stories of African scholars engaged in the reinvigoration of the humanities on the continent.

Wole Soyinka Keynote Address

Watch Wole Soyinka’s passionate keynote address at the Fourth Regional Assembly of the African Humanities Program in Abuja, Nigeria.