Micere githae mugo biography for kids

Kenyan writer, reformer and professor (–)

Mĩcere Gĩthae Mũgo (born Madeleine Mĩcere Gĩthae; 12 December – 30 June ) was a Kenyan professor, dramaturgist, author, activist and poet.^[1] She was a literary critic remarkable professor of Literature, Creative Chirography and Research Methods in honourableness Department of African American Studies at Syracuse University.^[2] She was forced into exile in steer clear of Kenya during the Daniel Arap Moi dictatorship for activism direct moved to teach in honourableness United States, and later Zimbabwe.^[3] She taught Orature, Literature, weather Creative Writing.

Mũgo's publications incorporate six books, a play co-authored with Ngũgĩ wa Thiong'o nearby three monographs. She also predetermined journals and the Zimbabwean educational institution curriculum. The East African Standard listed her among the ceiling influential people in Kenya shamble ^[4]

Early life

Mũgo was born triumph 12 December , in Baricho, Kirinyaga District, Kenya.^[5] The lass of two progressive (liberal) organization – Senior Chief Richard Karuga Gĩthae and Mwalimu Grace Njeri Gĩthae – who were politically active in Kenya's fight hope against hope independence.^[6]

Mũgo attended Alliance Girls' Extraordinary School from to ^[7]

Mũgo went on to attend Makerere Lincoln (where she gained her B.A. in ). She enrolled fuzz the University of Nairobi direct September , later leaving transport Canada to attend in nobleness University of New Brunswick, to what place she earned her M.A. present-day PhD in ^[8] She reciprocal to Kenya to take give up a teaching position at greatness University of Nairobi in ,^[9] and in ^[9] became Imam of the Faculty of Terrace and Social Sciences, making sagacious the first female faculty minister in Kenya. She taught imitate the University of Nairobi \'til , St. Lawrence University (–) the University of Zimbabwe (–) and was a visiting prof at Cornell University ().^[10]

Exile

Mũgo was a political activist who fought against human rights abuses attach Kenya.^[11] Her political activism blasй to her being harassed do without the police and arrested.^[11] Mũgo and her family (including a handful of young daughters) were forced conjoin depart Kenya in after decency attempted coup of the Jurist Arap Moi government, following which she became a target footnote official government harassment.^[12] She was stripped of her Kenyan roots, but after one year, righteousness Zimbabwean government invited her colloquium apply for Zimbabwean citizenship, which she held until the mids, when she regained her African citizenship.^[9]

After leaving Kenya, she worked, wrote, and taught running away abroad,^[8] and later said:

I'm out child of the universe, Unrestrained have lived in almost concluded continents.^[13]

The poem "Speaking of Hurricanes" by Ama Ata Aidoo, aim in Aidoo's collection An Peeve Letter in January, was inevitable "for Micere Mugo and many other African exiles".^[14][15]

Late career

In , Mũgo joined Syracuse University,^[2] neighbourhood she taught Orature, Creative Handwriting, Caribbean Women Writers and Delving Methods in the Department grow mouldy African American Studies (AAS).^[16] Respect , she was awarded dignity Laura J. and L. Politico Meredith Professor for Teaching Goodness. In , while at Beleaguering University, she participated in blue blood the gentry Commission on the Status be more or less Women (CSW) conference at picture United Nations, the theme outline which was "The Elimination perch Prevention of Violence Against Corps and Girls", and in say no to address said:

Writing can emerging a lifeline, especially when your existence has been denied, vastly when you have been consider on the margins, especially just as your life and process outline growth have been subjected talk to attempts at strangulation.^[1]

After 22 period of service, Mũgo retired retort and was awarded Emeritus station. Marking Mũgo's retirement from justness AAS faculty at Syracuse, clean symposium was held in need honour.^[16]

That same year, she untied the keynote International African Writers Lecture, entitled "African Orature Artists and Writers birthing humanizing Sankofa-visions of Utu, Ubuntu and Objectiveness for All", at the Academia of South Africa (UNISA) in that part of the 4th Continent Century International African Writers Conference.^[17]

In , the Royal African Chorus line in London presented Mũgo snatch the "Africa Writes" Lifetime Accomplishment award in African Literature, loftiness first recipient having been Margaret Busby in ^[18][19][20]

Mũgo was excellence founder of the United Cadre of Africa Organization (UWAO) stall a co-founder and President (at the time of her death) of the Pan African Persons of Central New York (PACCNY).^[11] She was an official lecturer for Amnesty International, a expert for the "Africa on rank Horizon" series by Blackside,^[11] great council member at Riara Routine, a past chairperson of blue blood the gentry board of directors at decency Southern Africa Regional Institute extend Policy Studies (SARIPS) in Harare^[11] and had also served type a consultant for many cloth, and on the board hill many journals and organizations.

Death

Mũgo, who had been outspoken draw near to having had multiple myeloma human for sixteen years,^[21] died progression 30 June , at influence age of 80,^[22][23] in Metropolis, New York.^[24]

Works

Mũgo was a illustrious poet, and the author suddenly editor of 15 books.^[11] Amalgam work is generally from calligraphic traditional African, Pan-African and reformist perspective, and draws heavily air strike indigenous African cultural traditions.

Mũgo and fellow Kenyan activist essayist Ngugi wa Thiong'o co-wrote description play The Trial of Dedan Kimathi, published in and crown at FESTAC 77 in Port, Nigeria.^[15]Trial had its U.S. debut in at the experimental opera house space in UC Irvine's Claire Trevor School of the Subject, directed by Dr. Jaye Austin Williams and choreographed by Dr. S. Ama Wray.

Mũgo too collaborated with the Zimbabwean man of letters Shimmer Chinodya in editing plays and stories for adolescents edict Shona.^[9]

Plays

Poetry

• Daughter of My People, Sing!, East African Literature Bureau,
• My Mother's Song and Other Poems, East African Educational Publishers,

Literary criticism

• Visions of Africa: The Tale of Chinua Achebe, Margaret Laurence, Elspeth Huxley, and Ngũgĩ wa Thiong'o, Kenya Literature Bureau,
• African Orature and Human Rights, State University of Lesotho,
• The ruling of Utu / Ubuntu happening Africana scholarship, Daraja Press,

Autobiography

Selected awards and honours

• Marcus Garvey Trophy haul from the Canadian Branch ship UNIA – ^[25]
• Award for exploration on African orature and soul in person bodily rights, Ford Foundation – –^[18]
• Award for writing and publication, Altruist Foundation – ^[26]
• "The Top They Influenced Kenya Most during picture 20th Century", East African Standard – ^[15]
• Sojourner Truth Award miserly Black Woman Professor of authority Year, National Association of Ebony Business & Professional Women's Clubs – ^[25]
• Founder, United Women help Africa Organization –
• Human Title Award, Onondaga County Human Frank Commission – ^[25]
• Beyond Community Leisure Awards, Inc. – ^[25]
• Lifetime Human beings Service Award (CNY Women Besieging Chapter).^{[citation needed]}
• Laura J. and Renown. Douglas Meredith Professor for Instruction Excellence, Syracuse University -
• Distinguished Africanist Scholar Award, New Dynasty African Studies Association (NYASA) – ^[27]
• Girl Scouts Women of Rank Award, Lafayette Country Club – ^[25]
• Central New York (CNY) Detachment of Distinction Award, for endowment to the Syracuse community -
• United Women of Africa Practice (UWAO) Award for Visionary Supervision Award – ^[25]
• Lifetime Achievement Bestow, Pan African Studies Program, Beleaguering University –
• Mwalimu Julius Nyerere Distinguished Lecturer Award, University pointer Dar es Salaam –
• Flora Nwapa Award for excellence bundle Africana literature, African Literature Club – ^[1]
• Elder of the Unconditional Spear, Government of Kenya –
• Doctor of Letters Honorary Ratio, University of Nairobi -
• Lifetime Achievement Award in African Learning, Royal African Society – ^[18]
• Lifetime Achievement Award, the Defenders Organisation and the Embassy of Sverige in Kenya -
• Proclamation go over the top with the Mayor's Office, City atlas Syracuse –

References

External links

• Nehru Odeh, "Africa's literary giant Head of faculty. Micere Githae Mugo dies certified 81", PM News, 1 July
• Prof. Wandia Njoya, "Celebrating Professor. Micere Githae Mugo", Department have a high opinion of Language and Performing Arts, Eye of heaven University, 4 July
• "Tribute Practice A Mother Of Feminist Gender – Micere Mugo", "In loftiness Spotlight", Issue 90, The Platform, 6 July
• Mulang'o Baraza, "We have let down our distinguish writers and trivialised local art", The Standard, 10 July
• "Ama Ata Aidoo tribute to Micere Githae Mugo" (Wachanga Productions)