THE FORERUNNERS
A Tribute to the Legacy of African Americans Who Have Studied Abroad
W.E.B. Du Bois
GERMANY
Before W.E.B Du Bois became the co-founder of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People, he first was a study abroad student in Germany at the Humboldt University in Berlin. Du Bois’ travels did not end there—he was invited to attend the fifth annual Pan-African Congress in Manchester, England. His advocacy led him to submit petitions to the United Nations concerning discrimination against African Americans. He later traveled to Ghana to help the country create a new encyclopedia for the African Diaspora.
Alice Walker
UGANDA
Before Alice Walker wrote books like The Color Purple, and became a famous poet, essayist, and novelist, she first was a foreign exchange student in Uganda. The child of sharecroppers, she received her Bachelor of Arts from Sarah Lawrence College. Walker went on to receive numerous national and international literary awards.
Elijah McCoy
SCOTLAND
Elijah McCoy was born in 1844 to parents who had escaped slavery. Before McCoy became a prolific inventor, he attended the University of Edinburgh in Scotland. After patenting more than 60 inventions, McCoy, whose high-quality inventions caused others to imitate his work, had railway engineering customers requesting “the real McCoy,” or the authentic thing, a phrase that is used to this day. McCoy was later inducted into the National Inventors Hall of Fame in 2001.
Sister Souljah
SPAIN
Before Sister Souljah became a successful author, political activist, and educator for underrepresented youth, she first studied abroad at the University of Salamanca in Spain. Her international studies opened the door for her to travel to England, Finland, France, and Portugal. Sister Soulja has worked to build medical centers in Zimbabwe, assisted refugee children in Mozambique, and promoted social activism in South Africa.
Paul Robeson
UNITED KINGDOM
Paul Robeson is one of the most highly-praised actors, singers, and athletes in history. He studied Swahili and linguistics at the School of Oriental and African Studies in London, England. Paul Robeson spent most of his life traveling the world singing songs to support peace and equal rights for Black Americans.
The Jazz Ambassadors
PAKISTAN, LEBANON, TURKEY, YUGOSLAVIA, GREECE
Louis Armstrong, Dizzy Gillespie, and Duke Ellington were African Americans that traveled as music ambassadors overseas to improve the public image of the United States, introduce audiences to American culture, and use their music to showcase how Black and White musicians could play together around the world to break down racial barriers and build social harmony.