Akinyele Umoja facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Akinyele Umoja
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| Born | 1954 |
| Alma mater | California State University, Los Angeles |
| Occupation | Educator, writer, activist |
| Years active | 1972–present |
| Employer | Georgia State University |
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Notable work
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We Will Shoot Back: Armed Resistance in the Mississippi Freedom Movement |
| Political party | African People's Party |
| Movement | New Afrikan Independence Movement |
Akinyele Umoja (born 1954) is an American teacher and writer. He studies African-American history and culture. He is also an activist who helped start important groups. These include the New Afrikan People's Organization. He also co-founded the Malcolm X Grassroots Movement. In 2013, he published a book called We Will Shoot Back: Armed Resistance in the Mississippi Freedom Movement. Today, he is a professor at Georgia State University (GSU). He also leads the Department of African-American Studies there.
Contents
Akinyele Umoja's Early Life and Schooling
Akinyele Omowale Umoja was born in Los Angeles, California, in 1954. He spent much of his childhood in Compton, California. He finished high school in 1972.
Umoja went to California State University, Los Angeles. He earned his first degree there in 1986. It was in Afro-American studies. Later, he got his master's degree in 1990. This was from Emory University in Atlanta, Georgia. He also worked on his Ph.D. at Emory. His research focused on armed resistance during the Mississippi Freedom Movement.
Akinyele Umoja's Career and Activism
Akinyele Umoja has been an activist for many years. He also has a long career as an educator.
Early Activism in California
Umoja started his activism in 1972. He was a freshman at UCLA. He wrote for the student newspaper NOMMO. He also joined a group supporting Muhammad Ahmad. Umoja helped organize petitions and fundraisers for Ahmad.
He later left UCLA. He joined the African People's Party and the House of Umoja. Two years later, he helped start two more groups. These were the Malcolm X Grassroots Movement and the New Afrikan People's Organization. Umoja has represented these groups in many places. He has spoken in the Caribbean, Africa, and Europe.
From 1972 to 1982, Umoja worked for Soulbook. This was a revolutionary journal about the Black world. He was also very active in Los Angeles. He helped organize security for people connected to Malcolm X. He also worked with the Coalition Against Police Abuse (CAPA).
In 1979, Umoja was part of a committee. This committee wrote a document. It asked for self-determination and reparations for Black people. It also asked for the release of political prisoners. This document was given to the Secretary General of the United Nations.
Teaching and Education Career
Umoja has taught in many different places. He has taught in high schools and colleges. He also helped create special lessons about African history. These were for public schools and community programs.
In the late 1980s, he taught social studies in Atlanta's public schools. From 1986 to 1991, he taught African-American history at Atlanta Metropolitan College. In the early 1990s, he taught history at Clark Atlanta University. He taught there until 1996. After that, he became a professor at Georgia State University (GSU). He is now the chair of the African American Studies Department.
Writing and Public Appearances
Umoja has written for many scholarly journals. These include The Journal of Black Studies and New Political Science. His writing has also appeared in Black Scholar and Radical History Review.
In 2013, New York University Press published his first book. It was called We Will Shoot Back: Armed Resistance in the Mississippi Freedom Movement. A newspaper review in 2015 praised the book. It showed how Black Mississippians fought against unfairness. They worked to end legal segregation. They also gained more political power in their state. Umoja was honored for his book in 2014.
Umoja has also appeared in documentaries about Black history. He was a commentator on the TV show American Gangster in 2008. He appeared in Bastards of the Party (2006). He was also in Cointelpro 101 (2010) by Freedom Archives.
In recent years, he has supported movements in Guyana and Haiti. In 2010, he led a group to Haiti. They went to see conditions after an earthquake. In 2013, he gave a speech in Mississippi. It was about a boycott by Black citizens in 1965. In 2014, he spoke at the funeral of his friend, Chokwe Lumumba. Lumumba was the mayor of Jackson, Mississippi.
Awards and Recognition
Akinyele Umoja has received several awards.
- He earned the Patricia Harris Fellowship from 1990 to 1993.
- In 1994, he was named in Who’s Who in America’s Teachers.
- In 1995, he became an honorary member of the National Golden Key Honor Society.
Film Appearances
- 2008: American Gangster episode "Dr. Mutulu Shakur" — featured commentator
- 2006: Bastards of the Party, directed by Cle "Bone" Sloan
- 2010: Cointelpro 101 by Freedom Archives
See Also
- List of Georgia State University people
Images for kids
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Dr. Akinyele Umoja speaking at an event.
